Broken Nature
by entity9silvergen
Summary: At birth, two of Yellowfang's kits died and went to StarClan. Or so she thought. The surviving kit was named after Yellowfang's broken heart but he soon realizes that it better reflects his broken spirit. His sisters live on through him and he's not happy about it.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Warning:** A warning probably isn't necessary but I would like to point out that this story is tagged as Angst which means that it will touch on themes that some readers have a hard time reading. Note that it is rated T, not M. There will be no extreme violence or suggestive themes but I would just like to let you all know that the latter half of this story is more serious.

The story isn't placed in a particularly dark or violent world or setting so younger readers can still enjoy it but I would like to tell you all that this is not a rewrite or an AU. It takes place within the context of Yellowfang's Secret and in canon there are many character deaths and darker themes during this era. They are written more lightly in the books but I will portray them differently.

On the note of this story mostly sticking to canon, the idea behind this story contributes to the need for a warning. This story includes more serious themes of death, identity crisis, gender dysphoria, internal struggles with identity and gender, and things of that nature. This story primarily follows internal conflict rather than external conflict which is usually not focused on in this particular fandom and some may be uncomfortable reading it.

Additionally, this story has no OCs.

If you are comfortable with that, proceed. If that bothers you in any way, these themes are not a huge focus of the story and you have been warned.

With that out of the way, enjoy the story.

* * *

**Allegiances:**

ShadowClan

_Leader: _Cedarstar

_Deputy: _Raggedpelt

_Medicine Cats: _Sagewhisker, Yellowfang

_Warriors: _Crowtail, Scorchwind, Brackenfoot, Archeye, Hollyflower, Mudclaw, Toadskip, Nettlespot, Mousewing, Amberleaf, Finchflight, Blizzardwing, Frogtail, Newtspeck, Ashheart, Rowanberry, Nutwhisker, Featherstorm, Brightflower, Poolcloud, Foxheart, Wolfstep, Boulder, Russetfur

_Apprentices: _Nightpaw, Clawpaw

_Queens:_ Lizardstripe (Tanglekit, Runningkit, Deerkit)

_Elders: _Littlebird, Lizardfang, Deerleap

* * *

.

"_She named her son for the feeling in her chest as she left him there, as if her heart were cleaving in two, as if her life had broken down the middle."_

~Yellowfang's Secret

.

* * *

Pelt matted with blood and heavily out of breath, a large dark, grey she-cat frantically lapped the damp pelt of the newly born kit curled in the curve of her belly. A few mouse lengths away, two tiny bodies lay as still as a stone at the bottom of the river. The queen had already realized that those two would not make it but the third… he was strong. He had to be, for her sake and his sisters'.

The tiny tom squirmed at the queen's efforts to bring some life back into his tiny form and began mewling loudly. The she-cat stiffened for a moment at his ferocity before realizing that he was just hungry. The she-cat gave a breath of relief and gently guided him to her belly to begin nursing.

She winced slightly at the odd sensation but her mind was on nothing other than the fact that she knew there should be three mouths, not one, suckling. There should be three slick bodies curled up beside her, not this lone kit. Three voices calling for their mother, not just one little mew.

It had been a rough kitting and the stress of it had put some dark thoughts into the queen's mind. She knew that the future would not be bright for this kit. StarClan had warned her of what this kit would bring to the forest. A dark part of her considered abandoning him but the thought only lasted a heartbeat. She couldn't imagine this frail little kit doing any of the things she had seen.

The she-cat lowered her head and traced her whiskers over the kit at her side. "You won't be that. You'll be the best warrior in ShadowClan, little kit."

The kit merely shifted at the feeling of whiskers on his back and moved closer to his mother for more milk and warmth. His mother purred in amusement.

"That's it, drink up," she murmured. "Get strong, little one. You have to live for your sisters too, kit. You'll be a warrior as fierce as three of ShadowClan's strongest warriors. ShadowClan will love you, you'll see. And you'll love your clanmates just as much."

The kit broke away momentarily, losing his way, and began mewling loudly.

The queen nosed him back to her belly. "Come on, I'm right here. Feed as much as you can, kit. I won't be here forever. Enjoy feeding with your mother while you still can…"

* * *

Yellowfang padded through the pine forest feeling heavy. It was like she was swimming through the river and the currents were tugging on her long, grey fur and dragging her down to the depths. She was tired and her body was yowling for her to go back to her nest and curl up for the night but her heart was crying for her to stay out in the forest.

_Just until sunrise,_ she silently promised herself as she lifted her head to keep the tiny bundle in her jaws from hitting a particularly high tree root protruding from the ground. _I just want one more night with him._

She knew she couldn't have that though. As a medicine cat, she knew the dangers of a lone, tiny kit staying out in the forest during night time like this. It had already been three days since her kitting and keeping the kit out this long had already been enough of a risk.

An owl's cry echoed through the night, reminding Yellowfang that she needed to hurry even though she longed to stay out here with her son just a little bit longer and her jaw ached from clutching his scruff. Picking up the pace, she broke the treeline to where ShadowClan's camp and her mate waited for her. _Former mate._

Raggedpelt was waiting by the camp entrance. He looked tired but his entire face lit up when his eyes fell on the kit Yellowfang was carrying towards him. Immediately, his features softened and he lowered his head to get a better look at the kit.

Part of Yellowfang was relieved and part of her was hurt. From the look on his face, Yellowfang knew that all the love in Raggedpelt's heart was devoted to this kit now. Not her. _And that's okay,_ she told herself. _I was the one who told him we can't be together. I'm a medicine cat for StarClan's sake! I can't raise this kit and he needs a father._

"He's beautiful," Raggedstar murmured and Yellowfang set him down at his paws.

"And strong," Yellowfang responded quietly not to wake the camp as she put him on the forest floor by his paws. "He was the only one who survived."

Raggedpelt's bright eyes clouded. "How many were there?"

"Other than him? Two she-kits," Yellowfang answered. She closed her eyes and looked away. "One was born without a heartbeat. The other…"

"I'm sure you did everything you could," Raggedpelt told her gently. "This one survived. That's all that matters now."

Yellowfang blinked and nodded slowly. _One survived. This kit, he lives for his sisters._

"What…" Raggedpelt swallowed. "What were their names?"

Yellowfang paused. Between worrying over the surviving kit and snatching brief moments of sleep, she hadn't had much time to think about names but she had found the perfect ones eventually. "Hopekit and Wishkit."

Raggedstar nodded, eyes still trained on the tiny tom. "Hope for a future they could never have and a wish they would have the lives they deserved but never had the chance to live."

Yellowfang tucked her haunches under her, tired from the journey back to the camp. Raggedpelt's interpretation of the names was not the same as her reasoning. All three kits had been named after feelings she had in her heart in regards to her and Raggedpelt's relationship but now that the kits were Raggedpelt's focus, it was only fitting. "Right."

"And this one?"

"Brokenkit," she said, voice cracking.

Raggedstar traced his whiskers over the tom's crooked tail and purred. "Fitting."

"Shall we take him to the nursery?" Yellowfang suggested. If she stood out here much longer, her heart might give out from sorrow. She longed to press against him, to twine their tails together and whisper her feelings for him into his ear, but that would never happen again. Standing with him like this only reminded her of that.

"Of course," Raggedpelt said, scooping up the kit by his scruff. "He needs sleep if he's going to grow up strong, isn't he?"

"That's right," Yellowfang agreed and the pair padded through the silent camp to the nursery.

* * *

Yellowfang had never really liked Lizardstripe nor did she think the other she-cat liked her much but she was the only nursing queen at the moment. Taking a deep breath, Yellowfang prodded her awake with one paw, careful not to wake the trio of Lizardstripe's own kits curled up in her white-furred belly.

The brown tabby blinked her eyes open, looking irritated. She opened her maw to speak but at that moment, a beam of moonlight shined into the nursery, hitting the grey fur of the kit dangling from Raggedpelt's mouth. Lizardstripe's eyes narrowed. "What is that?"

"It's a kit," Yellowfang said.

"My kit," Raggedpelt added, a hint of pride in his voice, as he set Brokenkit at Lizardstripe's paws.

Lizardstripe blinked at the little brown pelt. "What a miracle," she said sarcastically. "If I'd known toms could have kits, I'd have asked Mudclaw to make these brats himself."

Yellowfang winced slightly and felt a pang of pity for Lizardstripe's own litter.

"His mother wishes for her identity to remain a secret," Yellowfang told the queen. "She would like you to take care of him."

Lizardstripe gave her a dubious look. "Why can't she do it herself? I've already got enough on my paws with my three. I didn't ask for them and you don't see me dumping them on some other cat in the clan. It's not my job to take care of every unwanted lump of fur in the clan."

"He's not unwanted," Raggedpelt growled. "He's my son. It should be an honor to raise him, you ungrateful cat. He is the deputy's son, perhaps the future leader of ShadowClan."

Lizardstripe blinked at him as if thinking it over. Yellowfang held her breath. Lizardstripe sighed. "Alright, fine. Give him here."

Yellowfang barely kept a smile from creeping onto her face as Raggedpelt nudged the kit to the queen's belly where the others lay. Yellowfang couldn't help but wonder what kind of life he would have but for now, she was happy he had found a mother.

* * *

It was past moonhigh when Yellowfang padded into the medicine den. To her surprise, Sagewhisker, Yellowfang's mentor, was awake and waiting for her.

"I'm a light sleeper," she reminded her before Yellowfang could say anything. Yellowfang flopped down in her nest and Sagewhisker pushed some herbs over to her.

A quick sniff was all Yellowfang needed to identify them. "Parsley?"

"It will dry up your milk," Sagewhisker told her even though she didn't need to. She sat in front of her, looking her former apprentice dead in the eye. "You know we can't let any cat know about this, right?"

Yellowfang flattened her ears. "What, do you think I'm a mouse brain? Why would I kit in a dead tree if I thought it was alright for the clan to know about this?"

Sagewhisker flicked her ear, unamused. "You already broke the code. You have to make sure that your mistakes won't ruin you or the clan. You have so much potential, Yellowfang. This kit… StarClan has warned us about him. You need to stick to your duty."

_Brokenkit is not a mistake,_ she wanted to yowl even though she knew it wasn't the truth. Her mind faintly drifted back to the visions of Brokenkit's future. _He could be the end of ShadowClan._ She shook her head._ He's just an innocent kit. No ambitions, no plans, no dreams. He can't even stand yet. He will grow up to be a great warrior and protect his clan, not end it._

"I've already made my choice," Yellowfang told the older she-cat. "I'm a medicine cat. Not a warrior, not a queen, certainly not a mother. Brokenkit isn't mine. You don't need to worry."


	2. Eyes Open

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokenkit, Wishkit, or Hopekit's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokenkit. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokenkit so it will say Brokenkit but it might not be Brokenkit. Three minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokenkit's body in the real world.

* * *

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"_A whole new world. A new fantastic point of view. No one to tell us no. Or where to go. Or say we're only dreaming."_

~A Whole New World, Alladin

.

* * *

Darkness. All he saw was darkness. Cold air hit his pelt, making him cry out, but a rough tongue always guided him back to the warmth. The warmth where food came from. The warmth that kept him alive.

There was another warmth though but it wasn't dark like the world nor was it penetrated by the cold. This warmth was different, always lulling him after he experienced the warmth of his mother. It comforted him, even during the journey where he left his birthplace.

It took awhile but his eyes eventually blinked his eyes open and saw that this warm place was very bright. His vision was blurry and his body felt heavy but he eventually managed to get his eyes open and pull himself to his paws.

Looking around, he recognized this realm despite never having seen it. It looked just as it felt. Warm, bright, welcoming. And there were other kits here too.

He looked down at himself and saw his dark brown forepaws before glancing at the other kits again. There was a cream grey kit and a pale ginger kit, both she-kits. Stumbling on foreign paws, he approached. Heads reared up and a pair of brown eyes and a pair of grey ones met his own.

"Hi!" the grey kit greeted. "You're new! Hey, Wishkit. Brokenkit's here."

"Brokenkit? Wishkit?" Brokenkit echoed.

The grey kit nodded. "Those are our names. I'm Hopekit."

"How do you know?" Brokenkit asked. "I've never seen any other cats."

Hopekit shrugged. "I just know. Wishkit! Wake up!"

"I'm awake," Wishkit mumbled and got to her paws, shaking out her pelt, before looking at Brokenkit with bright eyes. "See, I told you Brokenkit would leave the cold place."

Hopekit waved her tail passively.

"The cold place?" Brokenkit asked. "Have you been there?"

Both she-kits shook their heads.

"No, but when you're here it'll be our turn," Wishkit said.

Brokenkit blinked. "What do you mean?"

"We're littermates!" Hopekit said excitedly. "But there's only one of us. Even though there are three of us."

"That doesn't make any sense," Brokenkit frowned.

"I know," Hopekit agreed. "I don't understand it but Wishkit says we're going to take turns being in the cold place."

"Why would we want to go to the cold place?" Brokenkit asked. "It's cold there. And dark."

"But that's the waking world," Wishkit explained. "It's where we're supposed to be."

Brokenkit kept frowning. "I like it here better though."

"Well, stay here then," Hopekit said. "I want to see the cold place."

"Okay," Brokenkit said with a dismissive flick of his ear.

Hopekit bounced on her tiny paws a bit before pausing. "Um… How do I go to the waking world?"

"Sleep," Wishkit instructed.

"Oh. Right," Hopekit said and settled down. She smiled at her littermates and waved her tail. She put her head down on her paws and fell into a deep sleep, plummeting into the darkness of the waking world.

* * *

As Brokenkit has described it, the waking world was very dark and cold. Hopekit wasn't sure if she liked it or not. She definitely knew she didn't like being in her brother's body. Even at the kit stage, it was distinctly… male. Very bulky compared to the tiny form she held in the dream world.

She also was not expecting the lack of control over herself. She squirmed a bit, trying to get a feel for the body she was finally inhabiting. Eventually, she got her paws under her and she blinked Brokenkit's orange eyes open to the ShadowClan nursery.

Hopekit looked up to see a pale brown tabby curled around her. A few tail lengths away, she could hear the squeaks of play but she couldn't see the kits that they were coming from.

Hopekit tried to climb over the queen to reach them but was stopped by teeth on her scruff. "No, Brokenkit. They're too big for you."

_Brokenkit? My brother?_ Hopekit stared at the queen in confusion. _That's right. Since he's in the dream world and I'm here, they think I'm him._

Hopekit purred softly at the she-cat as she was set down and scampered up to her. "Hi! Who are you? What's your name?"

The she-cat blinked. "I'm Lizardstripe."

Hopekit ran in a little circle but ended up stumbling on the paws that felt too large for her body. She quickly rightened herself and looked back up at the queen. "Are you my mother?"

To her surprise, Lizardstripe scowled. "No."

Hopekit tilted her head, confused. She sniffed. "You smell like milk though."

"I'm just nursing you," Lizardstripe told her. "You're real mother abandon you."

Hopekit blinked. _Abandon?_ Her tiny face scrunched up as she thought. She just couldn't get her head around the idea. She couldn't understand it and she didn't want to try very hard to. There was so much to see now that she was in control of Brokenkit's body and she wanted to see it all. So, instead of pouting or whining about her lack of a mother, her eyes brightened and her features spread into a happy expression. "That's okay! I have you and I have my littermates."

"You don't have littermates," Lizardstripe told her. "Deerkit, Runningkit, and Tanglekit are my kits, not your littermates."

"Who are Deerkit, Runningkit, and Tanglekit?" Hopekit asked. "Do you think they'll like Brokenkit and Wishkit?"

Lizardstripe's annoyed expression twisted into surprise. "Who's Wishkit?"

"Brokenkit's sister. My sister too," Hopekit explained.

"You're Brokenkit," Lizardstripe said pointedly.

Hopekit's eyes momentarily became dazed as she tried to wrap her kit mind around the idea. She knew she was Hopekit, Brokenkit was her brother… _That's right. They think I'm Brokenkit. They don't know about Wishkit or me._ She mentally scolded herself. _How could I have already forgotten that?_

Hopekit shook out her pelt and suddenly noticed three pairs of eyes trained on her, peering over the flank of their mother. Her ears perked up and she waved with her tail. "Hi!"

A small grey and white kit broke into a purr. "You're awake! Lizardstripe told us we couldn't play with you yet because your eyes hadn't opened yet."

"He's still too small," Lizardstripe told him.

"We'll be gentle," the grey and white kit promised, tumbling down off his mother's back so he was standing in front of Hopekit. He crouched down a bit so they were on eye level. He wasn't too much bigger than she but it was clear that he was a few sunrises older. _He seems nice though…_

The kit watched her with bright eyes. "I'm Runningkit!"

"I'm Ho-" Hopekit broke off and swallowed. "I'm Brokenkit."

Two more kits approached, a brown tom and a grey and brown she-kit. Runningkit gestured in their direction with his tail and introduced him. "This is my brother Deerkit and my sister Tanglekit."

"Do you want to play mossball?" Tanglekit offered.

The idea thrilled Hopekit but she felt a flash of concern and looked to Lizardstripe. "Am I too little?"

Lizardstripe snorted and looked away. "Do whatever you want."

Hopekit's expression brightened again and she looked back to her new nestmates. "I'd love to play mossball!"

"Great!" Tanglekit said.

"Come on, we play over there," Deerkit said, padding away. "That way we don't mess up the nests."

Hopekit took a few steps on unstead paws thanks to her undeveloped leg muscles and followed the trio of littermates. "So what it is mossball?"

* * *

When the day was done and the tiny kit body was exhausted, Hopekit sank into her nest beside the other kits and fell into a deep sleep. When she opened her eyes, she was back in the realm of light and warmth where her littermates waited.

Wishkit and Brokenkit were chasing each other's tails when Hopekit bounded up to them. "The cold place is so fun! And it's really not that cold."

"Waking world," Wishkit corrected.

"Oh. Right. Waking world. Because that's where we're awake," Hopekit said. She yawned. "Boy, I'm tired. I played all day!"

Brokenkit frowned. "We played too but I'm not tired."

"That's because Hopekit was playing in our body. She tired out all our muscles so now we need to sleep," Wishkit explained.

Hopekit suddenly bundled over to her sister, knocking her off her paws. "You know so much Wishkit!"

"You're just a featherbrain," Wishkit purred, pushing the other kit off her. "And I don't know everything. What was the world like?"

"Oh, it was great!" Hopekit said enthusiastically. "I wasn't allowed to leave the nursery but that was fine. There was moss and bracken and stuff and that was nice to look at. The moss was really comfy. Oh, and there were other kits! Let's see… There was Deerkit, Tanglekit, and Runningkit. Runningkit is nice and Tanglekit is smart but not as smart as you, Wishkit, and Deerkit is a lot of fun. And their mother, Lizardstripe, watched us. She likes them more than me- us- but I still like her."

Brokenkit pawed the ground. "I wish I could've played with them. I was stuck here with Wishkit."

"We had fun," Wishkit pointed out.

"I guess…"

"You can go tomorrow," Hopekit said. She looked to her sister. "Right, Wishkit?"

Wishkit shrugged. "I haven't had the chance to go but it is Brokenkit's body so…"

"Great!" Hopekit said. "You'll love Runningkit, Tanglekit, and Deerkit. Runningkit is nice and Tanglekit is smart but not as smart as you, Wishkit, and Deerkit is a lot of fun. You might not like Lizardstripe but I like her. Did I already say that?"

"Yeah," Brokenkit said with a nod.

"Oh. Well, that was kind of important so…" Hopekit trailed off before starting up her chatter again. "Do you know how to play mossball? I can teach you so you can play when we- you- wake up."

Brokenkit purred. "I'd like that."

* * *

When Brokenkit awoke, he felt the exhaustion that Wishkit had mentioned he'd feel. He pulled away from the others and shook himself, getting used to being back in his own body. He took a few experimental steps, getting a feel for his short limbs and the strain he felt on his body while in this world. He felt a lot heavier.

Brokenkit felt eyes watching him and turned around to see Lizardstripe watching him with one eyed cracked open. He waved with his tail. Lizardstripe merely shut her eye and drew her tail closer around her kits. Brokenkit felt a flash of jealousy but pushed it down so he could explore the nursery.

As Hopekit described, the entire nursery was lined with moss and was filled with a few nests as well as a corner for the kits to play in. That corner was scuffed up a bit, no doubt from yesterday's activities. Brokenkit padded over to it, nosing through the flooring. _Maybe they'll want to play again today… With me this time. It's not fair that Hopekit got all the fun. _

Something in the opposite corner of the nursery caught Brokenkit's eye. Scampering on tiny legs and weak muscles, he approached it and found another nest. He sniffed it, finding no cat scent lingering in it. He frowned. _Maybe another queen is moving in?_ He shrugged to himself and walked back to where Lizardstripe and the other kits lay.

The kits were starting to wake up and Lizardstripe had begun grooming them. The grey and white kit waved to Brokenkit with his tail excitedly. Brokenkit waved back, more hesitant. He padded up to them and began licking his fur, trying to copy Lizardstripe. The grey and white kit padded up to him to talk only for his mother to grab him by the scruff and drag him closer to her to get groomed.

Instead, the freshly groomed grey and brown she-kit walked up to him. "Hi, Brokenkit. Ready to play more today?"

Brokenkit blinked. "Who are you?"

The she-kit looked confused. "I'm Tanglekit. Don't you remember? We played together yesterday."

"That wasn't me," Brokenkit said. "That was someone else but she told me how to play mossball. I'm here now and we can play. Can't we?"

Tanglekit didn't respond. She frowned at him and took a small step back. Brokenkit felt his stomach drop and let his tail droop in disappointment. A moment later, he felt anger boil in his belly. _Dumb Hopekit. She ruined this for me._

Runningkit broke the silence by pulling away from Lizardstripe and bumbling over. "Who was the other kit? Where did you come from?"

Brokenkit blinked in surprise. "I woke up here. Last night, the other kit went to sleep and I came back."

"You're just getting a dream mixed up with real life," Lizardstripe snorted. She pulled Deerkit toward her and began grooming him. He squealed and tried to scrabble away but she kept lapping at his messy brown fur.

Brokenkit sat back on his haunches before sinking onto his belly, resting his head on his forepaws. Was he getting dreams mixed up with reality? He had gone to sleep and then woken up… _No, if it wasn't a dream then the other kits wouldn't remember playing yesterday…_

Runningkit butted his head on his shoulder, tearing him from his thoughts. "Come on, Brokenkit. Let's go play!"

* * *

Deciding the kits could behave for a while on their own, Lizardstripe got to her paws and padded to the nursery entrance. Hearing a squeal, she paused and glanced back at them.

Raggedpelt's son, Brokenkit, seemed to be having fun with her own litter. They had long since shredded the mossball they had been playing with and had been tumbling around since sunhigh. Brokenkit had gotten a bit rough on occasion, something Lizardstripe did not expect after seeing his bright, friendly personality yesterday, but she didn't pay any mind to it. They were kits and she doubted they could really hurt each other.

Leaving the kits to entertain themselves, Lizardstripe stalked out to the fresh-kill pile, eager to pick out her own piece of prey since her kitting. _It's kits who are confined to the nursery. I can't believe it's been a two quarter moons since I've stretched my legs!_

Lizardstripe stopped beside the fresh-kill pile, inhaling deeply to let the concoction of delicious smells waft through her nostrils. Almost immediately, her empty belly rumbled. She swished her tail and began searching for a piece of prey to select.

Eventually, she settled on a juicy thrush. All the feathers had been plucked, harvested by the apprentices to put in nests, so the bird's true size could be seen the moment the queen lifted it off the pile. It was a plump creature, more than enough meat to feed a cat. Maybe two. _Probably more like three._

She briefly considered putting it back to let some other cats share but decided against it and pulled it off to the side where she settled down to eat. _I'm feeding three kits and an extra mouth. I deserve this prey._

Lizardstripe dug into the bird with ravishing bites. She felt the meat tear under her teeth in a satisfying way that only bird meat tore. Lizardstripe's tail curled behind her happily. She got so few joys sitting around the nursery.

Her respite would be broken in a moment. Sagewhisker, the clan medicine cat, had been at the fresh-kill pile and was now approaching with a black bird in her jaws.

Lizardstripe shuffled her paws as Sagewhisker settled down next to her. The medicine cat set the fresh-kill down but didn't seem particularly interested in eating it. She sat up and set her sharp eyes on the queen beside her. "How are the kits?"

Lizardstripe blinked and took another mouthful of thrush. "Fine."

"And Brokenkit?"

"Won't be needing body heat at night much longer," Lizardstripe said as she chewed.

Sagewhisker's eyes grew round with worry. "You're making him sleep in his own nest."

Lizardstripe nodded and flicked her ear. "He's not my kit."

Sagewhisker frowned but didn't say anything. She took a bite of her fresh-kill before continuing. "I'll come by later to check on them."

Lizardstripe glanced at the other she-cat. "Do you have any more of those herbs that draw out milk?"

Sagewhisker nodded. "Of course. I'll bring some over later."

The two she-cats resumed eating in silence. After a few heartbeats, Lizardstripe's mind drifted back to what Brokenkit had said before and began debating if she should ask Sagewhisker about it or not. When her thrush was about halfway eaten, she spoke up.

"Sagewhisker?"

"Yes?"

"I noticed something odd about Brokenkit," Lizardstripe said. "The other day, he was so bright and friendly then the next he was closed off and he said some strange things."

"Like what kind of strange things?"

"He said… He said that the kit there the day before wasn't him and that he was somewhere else," Lizardstripe said. Sagewhisker frowned. Lizardstripe sat up and curled her tail around her paws. "I thought he was just confused by a dream but kits should be able to tell the difference between dreams and reality, right?"

Sagewhisker chewed in thought. "I don't know. I heard there's a cat in ThunderClan who had some problems with dreams and reality. You know their medicine cat? Goosefeather?"

Lizardstripe nodded. "Crazy tom."

Sagewhisker snorted. "He may be crazy but he's a brilliant medicine cat. Maybe Brokenkit is meant to be a medicine cat."

Lizardstripe shook her head. "Doubt it. He's just a kit. A dumb kit. Kits get confused."

Sagewhisker flicked her ear disapprovingly. "Kits need love and support if they're going to grow up strong. Have some faith in him, Lizardstripe."

Lizardstripe dug her claws into the ground. "Don't tell me how to raise my kits, Sagewhisker. Brokenkit isn't even mine. If he needs love and support, his mother should come join him in the nursery."

Sagewhisker's eyes darkened. "She can't."

"More like won't," Lizardstripe spat. "Go bother her, not me, about Brokenkit."

Lizardstripe got to her paws, picked up her half-eaten thrush, and padded to the other side of the camp to finish her meal in peace.

_ Why did I have to take care of Brokenkit? I didn't even want kits! Where is his mother? She needs to take responsibility for him…_

* * *

Sagewhisker padded back into the medicine den once she'd finished her fresh-kill. Her former apprentice, Yellowfang, was sorting herbs in the back. Sagewhisker walked up to her and began looking for borage leaves to give Lizardstripe.

Mind drifting, it took her more than a few heartbeats to find it. Yellowfang seemed to pick up on what she was looking for and passed them over. "What's bothering you?"

Sagewhisker accepted the herbs. "What makes you think something's bothering me?"

"Your mind is clearly on something," Yellowfang told her. "You know you can tell me anything."

"It's about Brokenkit," Sagewhisker said hesitantly. She had told Yellowfang to stay away from Brokenkit. She didn't want to bring him up. The two needed space from each other.

Yellowfang's back stiffened. "Is he okay?"

Sagewhisker nodded slowly. "Yes but Lizardstripe said he's been having dreams and saying strange things. StarClan gave you great powers to help you choose the path of a medicine cat but we don't understand them. Maybe he… I don't know, inherited them?"

Yellowfang flicked her ear. "I don't think StarClan's power can be inherited."

"Me neither," Sagewhisker admitted. "Brokenkit is probably just confused. I'm going to go take this borage to Lizardstripe. I'll be back soon."

Yellowfang waved tail goodbye as Sagewhisker padded out of the medicine den and towards the nursery with her herbs in between her teeth.

The nursery always had a warm feel and a milky scent that made Sagewhisker long for simpler times when she was just a kit tumbling around the mossy nursery without a care in the world. She gave a faint purr when she spotted four kits playing with a feather a couple tail lengths away and approached Lizardstripe's nest.

The queen was drowsing with one eye lazily trained on the kits. She lifted her head when Sagewhisker approached and blinked. "Oh. It's you."

"Yeah. It's me," Sagewhisker said sarcastically, letting immaturity momentarily slip out. Lizardstripe annoyed her but Sagewhisker had been ShadowClan's medicine cat long enough to know to treat her clanmates with respect. She set the herbs down at Lizardstripe's paws. "Here's the borage you asked for."

Lizardstripe hummed in acknowledgement and began eating the borage leaves. She swallowed and called to her kits. "Deerkit! Runningkit! Tanglekit! Come. Sagewhisker's here."

"You too, Brokenkit," Sagewhisker meowed. In a few heartbeats, the four growing kits scrambled up to her, staring up at her with bright eyes.

"Who are you?" Deerkit asked. His eyes were focused on her waving tail rather than her face. Sagewhisker pulled it in, knowing that it was bound to get pounced on sooner or later.

Tanglekit slapped him with her tail. "Mousebrain! Lizardstripe just called her Sagewhisker."

Brokenkit sniffed. "You smell funny."

"How come Lizardstripe is eating leaves?" Runningkit asked.

"I'm a medicine cat," Sagewhisker explained. "I heal cats by giving them herbs to make them feel better."

Runningkit frowned. "Is Lizardstripe hurt?"

Lizardstripe shook her head. "No. Borage just helps my milk come."

"Oh. So how come your here, Sagewhisker?"

_StarClan, I forgot how many questions kits ask._ "I just came to check on your four. ShadowClan needs its future warriors to be strong."

Deerkit puffed up his chest, his soft kit fur sticking up a bit. "I'm going to be the best warrior!"

Tanglekit swatted him. "No, I am!"

Sagewhisker purred. "I'm sure you'll all come along just fine. Now just sit still so I can check on you."

The four kits sat down, haunches wiggling with their inability to sit still. Sagewhisker lowered her muzzle and sniffed Tanglekit, running her long whiskers over her before prodding her with her nose. _Her pelt is healthy and her muscles are developing just fine…_

"Run along and play now," Sagewhisker ordered.

"Yay!" Tanglekit cheered and scampered off. Sagewhisker did the same to Deerkit before sending him off to play with his sister.

"How can you tell that we're okay?" Runningkit asked.

"Yeah," Brokenkit agreed. "Everyone looks the same to me."

Sagewhisker's whiskers twitched. "That's because you're all looking healthy. That's a good thing, I wasn't expecting anything to be wrong."

Sagewhisker gave Runningkit the routine check she had given his littermates before turning to Brokenkit. Sagewhisker sensed Lizardstripe turn away now that her own litter had been given the clear.

Brokenkit was a bit smaller than the other kits but that was to be expected at this age. He was a bit younger than the other three, afterall, so Sagewhisker didn't fret over it. She ran his whiskers over his tail, making him squirm. It was crooked but Yellowfang had said it had been like that since birth._ Probably something to do with how hard the kitting was._

"Lizardstripe tells me that you've been having dreams," Sagewhisker prompted as she checked behind his ears.

Brokenkit nodded, hitting his head against her jaw slightly but not painfully. "My sisters play with me."

Sagewhisker reeled back slightly. _Sisters?_ She glanced over to where Lizardstripe's kits were playing. _Two toms and a she-kit. Brokenkit doesn't have 'sisters.'_

Sagewhisker looked him in the eyes. "Who are they?"

"Hopekit and Wishkit," Brokenkit said.

Sagewhisker blinked in surprise. _That's what Yellowfang named the two kits who died!_ "Where did you hear those names?"

"They told me," Brokenkit told her.

Sagewhisker sat back and lowered her muzzle to whisper in her ear. "Don't talk about them with other cats, alright?"

Brokenkit's nose scrunched up. "Why?"

"You'll understand when you're older," Sagewhisker promised but Brokenkit didn't look satisfied.

"Why not now?"

Sagewhisker flicked him in the forehead with her tail. "Because you have other things to worry about now. Look, Deerkit is going to shred that feather before you even had the chance to rejoin the game."

Brokenkit's ears shot up as he whirled around. "Hey! Wait for me!"

Sagewhisker purred in amusement as Brokenkit ran off to join his nestmates. _Just a kit… No worries… Not a care in the world._ She swallowed and frowned at Brokenkit's words. _His sisters… What could this mean?_

* * *

"... and then Sagewhisker told me not to tell anyone about you guys and Deerkit pounced on the feather," Brokenkit babbled. "Runningkit and I snuck up on him and-"

"Sagewhisker knows?" Wishkit interrupted. "You told her?"

Night had come and the kits had been beckoned by Lizardstripe to sleep in the nest. Once again, Brokenkit had slipped into a deep sleep and opened his eyes to the warm place of light and energy where his sisters waited to hear his accounts of his day.

"Sagewhisker came by to make sure we were all okay," Brokenkit said. "She's a medicine cat."

"I wish I could've met her," Hopekit mumbled.

Brokenkit cuffed her over the ear with a paw. "You were in control when we met Runningkit, Deerkit, and Tanglekit! It's only fair I was there when we met Sagewhisker."

"Actually, it was Wishkit's turn," Hopekit pointed out.

"Whatever. Wishkit doesn't mind. Right Wishkit?" Brokenkit asked. He looked to the ginger tabby. She seemed to be studying her paws. Worried, Brokenkit took a step towards her. "Wishkit?"

"I wanted to meet Sagewhisker," Wishkit mumbled. After a moment, she brightened and shook out her pelt. "It's fine though. We'll see her again. What did you tell her?"

"She asked about my dreams," Brokenkit said. He frowned. "This doesn't feel like a dream… What even is a dream?"

Hopekit shrugged. "I don't know. We've never dreamed. We always come here when we sleep."

"Don't worry about it," Wishkit said. "Listen to Sagewhisker. She's right. We can't let anyone know we share a body."

"Why?" Hopekit asked.

"Yeah," Brokenkit nodded. "Why? And why do you get to tell us what to do?"

Wishkit pawed the grassy floor. "I don't know. I just… know things. And Sagewhisker's a medicine cat, right? She knows more than we do."

"There are three of us," Hopekit pointed out.

"But she's older than us. Wiser," Wishkit said. "Between the three of us, we're barely a moon old. Our body isn't even half a moon. I haven't even gotten my turn in control."

Brokenkit's pelt prickled guiltily. "You can have your turn tomorrow."

"Really?"

"I don't think anything interesting will happen," Brokenkit said. "I tried leaving the nursery today but Lizardstripe wouldn't let me."

"That's okay," Wishkit said. "I haven't seen the nursery or met the other kits, remember? I want to see them."

Brokenkit swished his tail, absently noticing it wasn't crooked here. "They're a lot of fun. An apprentice came in before we woke up and brought a feather to play with. Maybe there'll be another one tomorrow."

"Ooh! Maybe you'll meet the a-pren-tice," Hopekit said, sounding out the new word.

Wishkit ducked her head slightly. "Meeting the other kits and Lizardstripe will be enough."

Hopekit scampered over and rubbed against her sister's flank. "Don't be shy! There are so many cats to meet! So many friends to make!"

Wishkit leaned away. "Maybe. I guess it might be nice to meet an apprentice."

"That's the spirit!" Hopekit beamed.

* * *

Wishkit felt the ache and heaviness of a body in the real world when she woke. She pulled out of the nest and shook herself, trying to get a feel for the new form. As Hopekit had described, it was strange to be in control of someone else's body, especially a tom. _At least it's my brother and not some random cat._

Her nestmates had begun to stir and were soon bundling around their tired mother. Lizardstripe groaned and swatted at them with her tail. "Give your poor mother a break today, will you?"

Deerkit's eyes widened with hope. "Does that mean we can go outside?"

Lizardstripe lifted her head suddenly and stared at them. After a heartbeat, she shrugged. "Why not? You're almost half a moon old. Go find that father of yours… Or better yet, one of those apprentices. They haven't been doing very much lately."

The three of the four kits exchanged an excited glance while Wishkit's belly prickled with anxiety. She hadn't even seen the nursery yet, let alone gotten used to it, and now she was supposed to go out and explore the camp?

Runningkit seemed to sense her nervousness and buried his muzzle in her shoulder fur. "Don't worry, Brokenkit. We'll all go together."

"Yeah!" Deerkit agreed. "I'll protect you!"

"Mousebrain," Tanglekit muttered. "There's not going to be anything dangerous in camp."

"But there might be something scary!" Deerkit pointed out. "A leaf might come down and fall on us. Or one of the warriors might not like us and growl!"

"Yeah right," Tanglekit snorted.

"It could happen," Wishkit said.

"But it won't," Runningkit told her, licking her ear. "Come on, let's go find someone to show us around."

Wishkit nodded and padded out of the nursery, flanking her nestmates. _Maybe it won't be so bad with the others here..._


	3. Rejection

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokenkit, Wishkit, or Hopekit's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokenkit. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokenkit so it will say Brokenkit but it might not be Brokenkit. Three minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokenkit's body in the real world.

* * *

.

"_Children are great imitators so give them something great to imitate." _

~Anonymous

.

* * *

At a moon old, Brokenkit was enjoying life. He had other kits to play with in both the real world and the realm he visited when he wasn't in control of his body. He had a foster mother to feed him. He had a nice place to sleep. What he didn't know was that it was all going to change.

In the morning when he and his nestmates went to Lizardstripe to suckle, she pushed them away. Thinking it was a mistake, all four moved back towards her only to be pushed away again.

"No," she said.

"No?" the four kits echoed.

"It's time you started eating prey," Lizardstripe said. She put her head down on her paws. "Go ask your father to help you pick a piece of fresh-kill from the fresh-kill pile."

Brokenkit's tail coiled in excitement. Fresh-kill! The fresh-kill pile always smelled so good and now he was finally going to get to try some. _Take that Hopekit, Wishkit. Hopekit may have got to meet the others first and Wishkit got to see the camp first but I get to eat prey first!_

The four kits darted out of the nursery and made a beeline for the fresh-kill pile where Mudclaw was trying to select this morning's meal before patrol.

"Father!" Deerkit called as he skidded to a stop at his paws. "Lizardstripe says we can have fresh-kill now!"

Mudclaw broke into a purr. "That's great! Let's find something nice and soft for you three to eat. Maybe a mouse?"

Tanglekit bounced on her toes. "I see one!"

Mudclaw reached into the pile and grabbed the mouse by its tail. He dropped it at his paws and nosed his kits closer to it. He tore through the fur with his teeth, exposing the meat. "There, that's a good bite. Each of you get a good mouthful."

Deerkit pushed in front of his littermates and took the first bite. He made a sound of surprise as he tried to tear the meat with his teeth and slowly began chewing.

"That's right," Mudclaw said. "Make sure you chew it up good otherwise you'll choke."

Eventually, Deerkit swallowed and waved his tail excitedly. "That was really good!"

"You think so?" Mudclaw asked. "Okay, Runningkit. Your turn."

Runningkit took Deerkit's place and sniffed the mouse a bit before taking a bite. His teeth brushed the surface before he pulled his head back and tried again. This time, sharp kit teeth met soft mouse flesh and Runningkit managed to get a morsel into his mouth. He chewed it in thought before his eyes lit up. "You're right, Deerkit! It's really good."

"Okay, Tanglekit," Mudclaw said but Tanglekit was already sniffing the mouse. Copying her brothers, she took a bite and squealed with delight.

"I like it!" Tanglekit announced. She swallowed and moved to take another bite.

"Wait, can I have some?" Brokenkit asked.

To his surprise, Mudclaw stepped in front of his kits protectively and growled. "Find your own mouse."

His words hit Brokenkit like a freezing rain. He lowered his head and took a step back, whimpering. He leaned to look around Mudclaw's leg and saw his nestmates digging into the soft flesh of the mouse.

With a sigh, Brokenkit turned to the fresh-kill pile to select his own meal. Knowing that a mouse was a good first choice, he grabbed one by the tail but wasn't quite strong enough to get it off the pile. After a few tugs, the mouse came tumbling down. Brokenkit yelped as he jumped out of the way. Once the mouse rolled a few pawsteps off the pile, Brokenkit grabbed it by the tail again and dragged it off to another part of camp to eat.

Dragging the prey was hard and his belly was growling by the time he stopped. The mouse was a small one compared to the juicy one that Runningkit, Deerkit, and Tanglekit were feasting on but it was still pretty big. It was almost the size of his head.

Brokenkit tried to use his teeth to tear the fur away like Mudclaw had done but his teeth weren't sharp enough to pierce the brown pelt. He tried a few more times before giving up and trying to find a better spot to start.

Brokenkit tore off one of the mouse's ears and chewed it a few times before spitting it out. It was too hard to chew. It hurt his teeth.

"Don't waste prey," a passing warrior growled. Brokenkit didn't know his name.

"I don't know how to start," Brokenkit said. "Can you-?"

"Use your claws if you have to," the warrior said, "but your teeth should be strong enough."

Brokenkit fought with the mouse's fur and pelt for a bit longer until he managed to expose enough of the red meat beneath the brown exterior. His jaw was tired as well as his paws but he was so hungry that he didn't even care anymore.

Brokenkit took a bite of the mouse and was hit with a wave of flavor. He curled his tail, happy he was finally getting his meal and more than satisfied with the taste. _The flank is way better than the ear._

The tabby kit was only able to finish half the mouse before his belly stopped rumbling and began aching. He didn't like that feeling so he stopped and settled down next to the half-eaten fresh-kill to doze in the morning sunlight. He was starting to drift off when a voice jolted him awake.

"How was the mouse?" Runningkit asked. "Good, wasn't it?"

Brokenkit felt a flash of resentment. _I had to eat alone and fight with my fresh-kill. You had your father to help you and your littermates to share with._ He lashed his crooked tail. "It was good."

Runningkit settled down next to him. "My belly feels nice and full. It's warm but not like milk. I still want to drink milk but I think I'll like fresh-kill."

Brokenkit hummed in acknowledgment and rested his head back on his paws. His belly felt as warm as the sunlight washing over his pelt and he soon felt the lull of sleep tugging him back into its depths.

* * *

Hopekit opened her eyes to the ShadowClan camp. She was confused for a moment. Afterall, it wasn't her turn to be in control of the littermates' shared body. She wasn't complaining though.

Hopekit sat up, feeling a familiar soreness to her body. _I guess Brokenkit fell asleep._ She glanced around to see Runningkit dozing next to her while Deerkit and Tanglekit were getting badger rides from Mudclaw on the other side of camp. She was tempted to go join them but a mouthwatering smell distracted her.

Beside her was a half eaten mouse. From the ache in her jaw and the fullness in her belly, Hopekit was sure this had been Brokenkit's meal. _Lucky. He got to be the first to try fresh-kill._ She lowered her muzzle closer to the exposed meat. _It was nice of him to leave some._

Just as she was about to take a bite, a voice interrupted her. "I wouldn't. You don't want to get a belly ache. And Lizardstripe is going to let us have more milk later."

Hopekit turned to see that Runningkit had woken and begun grooming himself. She glanced back at the mouse and felt the temptation to try it but she knew Runningkit was right. It was disappointing but she didn't want to have to eat those yucky herbs that Tanglekit had to when she had a bellyache three sunrises ago. _Herbs are so stinky. And Tanglekit said they taste bad and they're hard to swallow._

Following Runningkit's lead, Hopekit swiped her tongue over her paw and began washing her ears. She quickly realized that Brokenkit hadn't done so when he woke up this morning. _Does he not care that all our clanmates can see us when we're out in the camp? I should talk to him next time I see him._

Runningkit suddenly stopped grooming and shook out is pelt. Hopekit gave a meowr of amusement. _Silly toms._ She padded up to him and began grooming a spot on his back where the fur was sticking up.

"Hey!" Runningkit squawked. "I don't need anymore grooming."

"You look ridiculous," Hopekit said.

"I'm fine," Runningkit said with a wave of his tail. He pulled away and trotted over towards Mudclaw and his littermates. "Come on, let's see if we can get a badger ride."

Hopekit dashed after him excitedly. She'd never gotten a badger ride before! _Maybe Mudclaw will let me this time._

Mudclaw was letting Tanglekit off his back when Runningkit and Hopekit approached. Runningkit purred and wove between his paws. "Can I have one?"

Mudclaw's whiskers twitched before he crouched down. "Oh, alright. Just one."

Runningkit squealed in delight and clambered onto his father's back for a badger ride. The older tom's tail curled with affection as he trotted in a circle around camp, his kit's eyes wide and watchful.

Hopekit watched the entire time even though Deerkit and Tanglekit had got distracted and started play wrestling with each other. She pawed the ground in anticipation with her tiny claws, tearing up some of the soft forest floor. _It's almost my turn!_

Mudclaw came to a stop where he had started and crouched down to let Runningkit slide off. The tiny tom purred. "That was so much fun!"

Hopekit took a step towards Mudclaw to ask for a badger ride but the warrior's mew cut her off before she could say anything. "You kits should get back to the nursery. It's almost naptime, isn't it?"

"But Brokenkit and I were napping earlier," Runningkit protested, waving at the spot where they had been sleeping with his tail. "Deerkit and Tanglekit got to play and get badger rides. Can Brokenkit and I-?"

"Go back to your mother," Mudclaw interrupted, nosing his kits in the direction of the nursery. Hopekit felt a pang of disappointment. _Runningkit got a badger ride but I didn't._ Deerkit, Tanglekit, and Runningkit protested their father's instructions but he didn't budge. "She'll be expecting you."

After a few complaints, the kits headed back to the nursery. Hopekit sighed and hung her head. She felt a tail tip touch her shoulder and glanced up to see Tanglekit. She smiled at her. "Don't worry. You'll get one next time."

"Someday I'll be so big I'll be able to give badger rides!" Deerkit boasted.

Tanglekit sighed and slapped him with her tail. Hopekit purred at the familiar scene. Runningkit bumped her shoulder and rested his muzzle in her neck fur. "There'll be other days and plenty more badger rides."

"Yeah," Hopekit said and the four kits pushed into the nursery.

"About time," Lizardstripe grumbled. She beckoned them with her tail. "Come on, naptime."

Despite having slept already, Runningkit and Hopekit didn't protest. They merely crawled in. Well, Runningkit did. _What?_

With the shove of a paw too large to be a kit's, Hopekit fell out of the best and onto the nursery floor. She yelped as her rear hit the moss on the ground and she got back to her paws, shaking the moss from her fur, before jumping back in.

"This isn't your nest," Lizardstripe told her as she shoved her out again.

"Yeah it us," Hopekit said. "I always-"

"Don't get snippy, brat," Lizardstripe snapped. She pointed with her tail to the furthest corner of the nursery. "That's your nest."

Hopekit followed her gaze to the nest that had been set up. It was small, the size of a kit. Earlier it had been clearly incomplete but the rest of the bedding had been filled in and was now ready for sleeping. _Not that it looks comfortable. I'd much rather sleep with Lizardstripe and the others._

"Can't I sleep with you?" Hopekit asked and tried to climb back into her old nest only to find herself back on the nursery floor a moment later.

"No," Lizardstripe told her harshly. "From now on, you eat fresh-kill, not my milk, and sleep in that nest."

"Do we still get milk?" Tanglekit asked.

"Can we still sleep with you?" Deerkit questioned.

"Of course," Lizardstripe soothed. "Brokenkit's different."

"Is he special?" Deerkit asked.

"No," Lizardstripe told him. "You're special so you get to drink milk and sleep here. Brokenkit is just a motherless loner."

Her words struck Hopekit like the sharpest claws.

Runningkit's head popped out of the nest. "Won't Brokenkit get cold? Should one of us go sleep with him?"

Lizardstripe curled her tail around her kits. "No. You stay here. Brokenkit will be fine on his own."

Hopekit flinched slightly but hung her head and did as she was told and padded up to the nest. The prickly moss felt cold against her pelt due to the lack of body heat from other cats. She sighed and put her head down on her paws, not tired but wanting to do anything but be here, wallowing in her misery.

* * *

"You're back early," Wishkit commented as Hopekit opened her eyes to their shared mental space. The she-kit glanced at her sister but didn't spout off into a recount of her day as she usually did. Wishkit noticed immediately and padded to her side. "What's the matter?"

"Lizardstripe isn't letting us sleep in the nest with the others or drink milk anymore," Hopekit told her littermates dejectedly.

"What?" Brokenkit questioned. "But fresh-kill is so hard to eat!"

"We'll get cold on our own," Wishkit said.

"And we're all by ourselves," Hopekit added dejectedly. "Why doesn't Lizardstripe like us?"

Brokenkit's gaze swept over his sisters. "Did either of you do something to make her not like us?"

Wishkit and Hopekit both shook their heads.

Brokenkit scowled and sat back on his haunches. "I know I didn't do anything."

"Maybe she just doesn't like us," Hopekit suggested.

"That's probably it," Wishkit said. "She's not our actual mother. She probably doesn't like taking care of us."

"We're not bad though," Hopekit said. "Right?"

"Of course not," Wishkit assured.

Brokenkit unsheathed his claws before resheathing them. "That's no reason to push us away now! One of you must've done something."

"I haven't been in control today," Wishkit reminded.

"She pushed me out of the nest when I saw her for the first time," Hopekit added. "Maybe you did something?"

"I barely talked to her today," Brokenkit growled. "All she did this morning was tell us to go eat fresh-kill."

Wishkit waved her tail. "Maybe I can go back when we wake up and try to figure something out."

"No," Brokenkit said.

Wishkit blinked. "No?"

"It's my body," Brokenkit reminded. "I decide what to do with it."

"We share it," Hopekit pointed out.

"Yeah but it was supposed to be mine!" Brokenkit said. "Our body is a tom like me and has brown tabby fur like I do here. I was kitted into it and this is supposed to be my life. I don't want you two ruining it."

Hopekit whimpered but Wishkit stood tall. "We didn't decide to do this, Brokenkit. You just got lucky. If it was my body-"

"It's not your body," Brokenkit growled. "You were too weak to survive so your body died and mine survived. I was meant to live but you two keep taking control and living my life."

"I'm sorry, Brokenkit," Hopekit apologized quietly, "but I really like it when it's my turn to go to ShadowClan."

"I'm supposed to be in ShadowClan always," Brokenkit argued.

"Well, we're like this for a reason," Wishkit pointed out. "We're sharing this life and something happened that's making it worse. That affects all of us so I should be able to go see what's going on."

"Fine," Brokenkit grumbled and tucked in his paws. He put his head down and lashed his tail. "Don't make things worse with Lizardstripe. I think we're waking up now."

* * *

"Brokenkit! Brokenkit!"

Wishkit woke to paws poking her side. She blinked awake and saw Runningkit prodding her awake.

"Finally!" Runningkit said, darting away. "You must've been really tired. Come on. Deerkit and Tanglekit are already outside."

Wishkit hopped out of her new nest for the first time. She wanted to stop and inspect it but the lure of play was too tempting. She followed Runningkit out of the nursery and out to the ShadowClan camp where her former nestmates were chasing a feather.

Wishkit scampered up to the pair to join them but as she approached, Deerkit and Tanglekit suddenly stopped their play and turned on her.

"You can't play with us anymore," Deerkit announced.

Wishkit stumbled back. "What? Why?"

"Lizardstripe said that you don't have a mother and Mudclaw says that you're not one of us, Brokenkit," Tanglekit sneered.

Runningkit frowned. "But we used to play together…"

Deerkit flashed his teeth. "He can't play anymore though."

Wishkit took a step back. "It won't be any different from before."

"You can't play with us anymore," Tanglekit said firmly.

"But I won't have anyone to play with!" Wishkit wailed.

"I'll still play with you," Runningkit said but Deerkit shoved his tail into his mouth, silencing him.

"No you're not!" Deerkit said. "You're our brother. He's not. You have to stay with us but he-"

_He, he, he. I'm not Brokenkit! They don't even know who I am!_ With a wail, Wishkit squeezed her eyes shut and ran away from the others, ignoring Deerkit's sneers, Tanglekit's taunts, and Running its protests.

Wishkit had made it several fox lengths across camp when she suddenly crashed into someone. She stumbled back and pressed her ears back against her head, ready to get a tongue lashing from one of ShadowClan's warriors. To her surprise, she only got a sound of surprise and the bitter scent of herbs in her nostrils.

Wishkit opened one eye at the warrior standing over her only her nose was telling her this was no warrior. It was a medicine cat.

"Are you alright, Brokenkit?" the medicine cat asked.

"Yeah. Sorry… um…"

"Yellowfang," the she-cat offered.

"Yellowfang," Wishkit said, trying out the name on her tongue.

Two pairs of orange eyes met and Wishkit saw something in Yellowfang's eyes that she had never seen before but she couldn't place it.

Yellowfang blinked a few times and bent down to pick up some leaves off the ground. Wishkit suddenly realized that she had caused Yellowfang to drop the herbs she was carrying when she bumped into her. With a squeak, Wishkit scrambled to help.

"Oh, you don't have to," Yellowfang said through a mouth full of herbs."It was my fault for not watching my paws."

Wishkit used the sharp herbs in her mouth as an excuse not to say anything and merely shook her head. Yellowfang flicked her tail, signaling that the help was welcome, and lead the kit to the medicine den.

Sagewhisker was in the den when the pair entered. Yellowfang put the herbs down in the back and Wishkit set her own smaller bundle beside them. Yellowfang sat down and began to shuffle the various plants, herbs, and leaves around with her paws.

"What are you doing?" Wishkit asked.

"I'm sorting them," Yellowfang asked. Wishkit's eyes glowed with intrigue.

"Can I watch?"

Yellowfang blinked at her, looking surprised. She looked to Sagewhisker who shot her a warning glance before looking back to Wishkit. "Don't you want to play with your denmates?"

"They're mean," Wishkit told her. "I don't want to play with them anymore."

Yellowfang's paws kept working but her gaze fell on the kit. "Really? You always looked so happy when I saw you playing with them outside the nursery."

"Deerkit and Tanglekit said I couldn't play with them because I wasn't their _brother_," Wishkit said, the final word still sounding strange on her tongue. _Brokenkit is the brother. I'm the sister. What makes them think I'm a tom? There's not really that big of a difference between toms and she-kits…_

"What about Runningkit?"

"Runningkit's nice but he still likes his family better," Wishkit mumbled.

"What makes you think that?"

"Mudclaw gives him badger rides and Lizardstripe lets him sleep in the nest with her and his littermates."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't like you."

Wishkit pressed her belly against the floor and rested her head down on her paws sadly. "He wasn't with Deerkit and Tanglekit when they decided they didn't like me. After they talk to him, he'll probably hate me too."

Yellowfang frowned as she pushed a couple of seeds into a pile with the others. "Why do you think they hate you?"

"Because I don't have a mother or a father," Wishkit said.

Yellowfang blinked. "You have a father."

"I do?" Hope brimmed in Wishkit's heart.

"He hasn't seen you?"

Wishkit shook her head.

"I'll talk to him," Yellowfang promised. "I don't understand why he would stay away. He loves you very, very much."

"Really?" Wishkit asked. "What about my mother?"

"You… Don't have one," Yellowfang told her. "Or… She can't take care of you. Her kitting was very hard."

"That's why we died," Wishkit mused.

Yellowfang jolted in shot. "What?"

"Er, my littermates," Wishkit corrected.

"How do you know about your sisters?"

_Brother. Brother and sister,_ Wishkit mentally sighed. "I dream about playing with them."

Yellowfang opened her mouth to say something but Wishkit interrupted before she could.

"What are these?" Wishkit asked, pointing a claw to a pile of berries.

"Juniper berries," Yellowfang told her. "If cats eat them, it helps their bellyache to go away. It also gives strength and helps with breathing."

"That's so cool!" Wishkit said, bright eyes suddenly wide with kit-like interest. "What's this one do? It smells like you."

Yellowfang made a startled choking noise before speaking. "It's parsley. It stops a queen's milk from coming. And it cures bellyache."

"Did you have a bellyache, Yellowfang?" Wishkit asked.

Yellowfang nodded slowly. "Um. Yeah."

"How come you didn't eat juniper berries? Or that other stuff… What's it called? Wawanut?"

Yellowfang's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Watermint. A lot of things help with bellyache."

"Yeah," Wishkit agreed. "So what doesn't help bellyache?"

"This is thyme," Yellowfang said, pointing to a pile of green, leafy herbs with her tail. "It helps with shock and soothes anxiety."

_Yellowfang knows so much._ "Can I watch you sort herbs some time?"

Yellowfang blinked a few times then nodded. "Of course, Brokenkit. Anytime."

* * *

"Raggedpelt!" Yellowfang barked, stalking across camp to her former mate. The tabby looked up from the fresh-kill pile and waved his tail.

"Yellowfang," Raggedpelt greeted.

"You need to talk to your son," Yellowfang said, wasting no time getting to the point.

Raggedpelt blinked as his ears twitched. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Yeah. That he doesn't know that he has any parents," Yellowfang snapped. "Why haven't you visited him? He doesn't have a mother. He needs his father."

Raggedpelt dipped his head guiltily. "I'm sorry. I thought… He needed time to bond with Lizardstripe and her kits. If I was there, he wouldn't be able to-"

"Well, that's not going so well, is it?" Yellowfang interrupted.

Raggedpelt tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"Ask him yourself."

Raggedpelt shuffled his paws. "I'll see him tomorrow after I organize patrols," he promised.


	4. Thick and Thin

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokenkit, Wishkit, or Hopekit's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokenkit. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokenkit so it will say Brokenkit but it might not be Brokenkit. Three minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokenkit's body in the real world.

* * *

.

"_The thing is, it's really hard to be roommates with people if your suitcases are much better than theirs." _

~Holden Caulfield, Catcher in the Rye.

.

* * *

Nervousness prickled in Raggedpelt's belly as he padded across camp towards the nursery. _I haven't talked to him once. What if he hates me?_ Raggedpelt fretted. _Maybe I stayed away too long. Maybe Lizardstripe and her kits are more of his family than me._ He mentally clawed himself. _No, that's silly. Lizardstripe didn't even want kits let alone…_ He frowned. _I definitely should have come by sooner._

Raggedpelt stuck his head into the den and saw Lizardstripe lounging on her nest. The two made eye contact for a few heartbeats before Lizardstripe wordlessly angled her ears towards the other side of the nursery. Raggedpelt saw two kits tumbling together, one kit rolling moss into a mossball, and a fourth kit tearing at the bracken under the moss with his tiny kit claws.

Raggedpelt felt emotion stirring in his belly as his eyes fell upon the tiny kit so clearly his. _His pelt looks just like mine._ At that moment, Brokenkit seemed to sense his presence. Wide orange eyes met amber. Raggedpelt almost broke into a purr. _He has his mother's eyes._

Raggedpelt started to smile but stopped when Brokenkit's face twisted into a scowl. Raggedpelt felt an invisible cat claw his heart. _He looks so unhappy… Did I do something wrong? Of course I did… leaving him to get used to Lizardstripe was a mistake. Yellowfang was right. My son needs his father._

"Who are you?" Brokenkit asked, getting to his paws. His claws caught the bracken they were buried in but Brokenkit tore them out effortlessly without even a yelp of surprise of pain. Raggedpelt's tail curled, proud of his son at even the smallest of accomplishments.

"I'm your father, Raggedpelt," the tabby told his son. Brokenkit's cold expression suddenly melted and his eyes brightened.

"I have a father?" Brokenkit questioned.

Raggedpelt nodded. He glanced at the other kits who were suddenly watching them and put his tail tip on Brokenkit's shoulder, leading him out of the nursery and into the ShadowClan camp. "I'm sorry I didn't come visit you sooner. I was worried you wouldn't want to see me."

"Why wouldn't I want to see you?" Brokenkit questioned. "I didn't even know I had a father… I would've loved to have one."

Raggedpelt frowned. "Didn't Yellowfang tell you yesterday?"

Brokenkit's demeanor suddenly changed and he dug his claws into the ground. "She didn't tell me."

Raggedpelt blinked in surprise at the pure anger in his growl. "No need to get upset, son. If it wasn't for Yellowfang…"

"What? Oh, no. I'm not upset with Yellowfang," Brokenkit interrupted, waving his crooked tail dismissively. "I- we… Nevermind."

Raggedpelt frowned and sat down outside the warrior's den, gesturing for Brokenkit to do the same. It was sunhigh so most of the warriors were out on patrol or training their apprentices.

Raggedpelt's eyes met Brokenkit's once more and he was again reminded of how much they resemble hers. The blinding anger that had been there only heartbeats ago was gone, replaced by the kitlike innocents of cats barely growing into their paws. Curiosity flooded his veins. "What do you think of Yellowfang?"

"What about her?"

"She told me she's going to let her help you out sometimes," Raggedpelt said. "She said you weren't getting along with your denmates."

Brokenkit flattened his ears and ducked his head. "Deerkit and Tanglekit are mean now… They'll probably get Runningkit to hate me too."

Alarm flashed in Raggedpelt's chest. "Hey, no one hates you."

"No one loves me."

Raggedpelt's heart cracked and his mew grew hoarse. "I love you."

Brokenkit looked up again, those orange eyes shining up at him again. Hope radiated from them in a way only the lonely could bear. "Really?"

"Of course," Raggedpelt told him. "And I'm sure Yellowfang would love to be your friend and everything will work out with the other kits."

"You think so?"

"I know so," Raggedpelt told him. He whisked his tail around his son. "Now how about we get some fresh-kill? I saw Amberleaf bring in a juicy vole this morning after dawn patrol. I bet it's still there. Want to go check for me? We can share."

So much excitement lit up Brokenkit's face that his body shook.

For the first time in awhile, Raggedpelt purred with everything his heart had. _Brokenkit… You'll be the most loved cat in ShadowClan._

* * *

Sharing a meal with his father for the first time had been fun but Raggedpelt had to return to his deputy duties, leaving Brokenkit on his own again.

After watching his denmates play for a bit without him, Brokenkit decided to go to the medicine den. Wishkit liked it there, maybe it was fun. And Raggedpelt said that Yellowfang would probably like to be his friend.

Brokenkit poked his head into the medicine den and was hit with the scent of bitter herbs. He wrinkled his nose a bit before creeping in. "Yellowfang?"

The dark grey she-cat looked up from the herb stores and broke into a purr. "Brokenkit! It's good to see you. Do you want to watch me sort herbs again today?"

Brokenkit nodded but gave no explanation as to why this time. Yellowfang didn't ask for one and Brokenkit was grateful for that. She just let him sit beside her as she shuffled the herbs to their various places in a silence broken only by the scuffs of leaves sliding against the floor.

* * *

Every day for a quarter moon, Brokenkit or whoever was in control of his body went to the medicine den to watch Yellowfang sort herbs. Well, Hopekit liked talking to Yellowfang and Wishkit liked helping her sort the herbs but Brokenkit just enjoyed sitting in silence. However, to his annoyance, Yellowfang seemed to expect that he wanted to do the same thing that his sisters did when they were here.

"Brokenkit, can you pass me the poppy seeds?" Yellowfang asked.

Brokenkit blinked. "Er, where?"

Yellowfang glanced at him. "They're over there, wrapped in that borage leaf."

"Which one was that again?" Brokenkit asked.

Yellowfang blinked. "You knew yesterday. You helped me pick them apart from the blackberry leaves."

Brokenkit's tail tip twitched. "I don't remember."

Yellowfang frowned. "Some days you don't seem interested in talking or helping me. Why don't you play with your denmates? You don't need to come everyday."

Her words struck Brokenkit like a falling tree. He sank his claws into the ground, curling them and pulling up the earth. _I thought she was my friend but she only likes Wishkit and Hopekit. They ruined this for me! If they didn't come, Yellowfang wouldn't think that I was to sort herbs or talk. It's not me who likes those things!_

Brokenkit flattened his ears in anger. "Sometimes I don't want to help you or talk."

"And you don't have to," Yellowfang told him. "You're a kit. Kits are meant to play."

"Can I play here? With you?"

To his disappointment, Yellowfang shook her head. "I'm sorry, Brokenkit. I'm a medicine cat. I'm busy and I have responsibilities. These herbs keep the clan healthy. I can't have you playing in here. Why don't you-?"

Brokenkit wasn't listening. Before she could finish, Brokenkit stalked out of the den, pelt hot with anger and toes twitching with the urge to claw something.

Brokenkit stormed across the camp and realized he was making a beeline for the nursery before he realized what he was doing. Outside, Deerkit, Tanglekit, and Runningkit were tumbling in a game of play wrestling.

"Hi Brokenkit!" Runningkit greeted. Deerkit cuffed him over the ear but Runningkit ignored him. "Want to play?"

Brokekit felt hope bubble in his chest but it came crashing down when Tanglekit growled.

"He can't play with us!" Tanglekit said.

"Yeah," Deerkit agreed. "His only friends are smelly old she-cats. Go back to the medicine den, mousedung."

Brokenkit reeled back at the insult. He ducked his head in sadness before that anger came back, brimming in his ribcage. He bared his teeth and stalked into the nursery.

Lizardstripe wasn't there and for that Brokenkit thanked StarClan. After realizing that Yellowfang didn't truly like him and his denmates' rejection, he couldn't handle being snapped at by his foster mother.

Brokenkit approached the lonely nest in the corner of the nursery and his anger was pushed aside for a few heartbeats as that old sorrow returned. His body suddenly felt heavy and so much water welled behind his eyes that he thought it might fall, despite knowing that cats couldn't shed tears like other animals. He paced around it a few times, trying to decide how he wanted to lay down despite not really caring. He lifted his head and glanced over to Lizardstipe's nest. His old nest. There was no one in it at the moment. Brokenkit found himself edging over to it. _No one would know if I just lied down in it for a bit…_

Just as Brokenkit's nose touched the edge of the moss, Lizardstripe marched in with Tanglekit in her mouth, dangling by her scruff, and Deerkit and Runningkit behind her. "It's sundown. Time for you brats to turn in."

"But I'm not tired!" Tanglekit whined.

Her yawn betrayed her. Lizardstripe flicked her ear disapprovingly. "Don't lie to me. This is for your own good. You don't want to be too tired to play tomorrow, now do you? Come on, get to sleep."

The three kits complained and climbed into the nest, flopping down in the moss and curling up so their tails wrapped around their little bodies.

"What are you doing here?" Deerkit asked, lifting his head to look at Brokenkit who was still standing at the edge of his nest. Brokenkit squeaked and scuttled back but Deerkit's gaze remained unforgiving. "You have your own nest."

"I know," Brokenkit said. "I just… I just…"

_I want to sleep with you guys again,_ Brokenkit told him silently but merely retreated to his own nest. Four pairs of eyes remained on him as he clambered into his bedding and sank into his moss.

* * *

"Hi Brokenkit!" Hopekit greeted, cheerful as ever, when Brokenkit appeared in their shared space of the dream realm. "How was your day? Did you have fun? Did you and Yellowfang do anything fun?"

"We're not visiting Yellowfang anymore," Brokenkit growled.

Hopekit's enthusiasm dropped. "Why? Did something happen to her?"

"No," Brokenkit snapped.

"Then how come we can't see her?" Hopekit asked.

"You just can't!"

"I have to agree with Hopekit," Wishkit spoke. "I don't really see why we shouldn't visit Yellowfang when we're in control. I like sorting herbs with Yellowfang."

"And I like talking to her," Hopekit added. "She knows so much and she's so nice!"

"It's my body," Brokenkit said firmly. "You two are just… just… catching a badger ride on my life. You two are having fun but you're ruining everything for me."

"You don't have to visit Yellowfang," Wishkit pointed out. "We can see her and you can just-"

"I said you can't!" Brokenkit interrupted. "You two ruin enough for me! I liked seeing Yellowfang but it's not fun anymore and it's your fault. We aren't- I'm not- going to be a medicine cat, there's no point in staying with dumb medicine cats. I'm a tom. I don't have any reason to be spending time with old she-cats."

"We're she-cats," Wishkit reminded.

"I like being around other she-cats," Hopekit added. "Tanglekit and Lizardstripe aren't very nice and I like Yellowfang more than Sagewhisker. If we don't talk to Yellowfang-"

"You just think you're she-cats," Brokenkit said. "You're she-cats here but not in the waking world. My body is male, I am a tom so you're a tom when you're me."

Wishkit put her ears back and hissed, something so uncharacteristic of her that Brokenkit had to take a step back. "Telling us what to do is one thing. Telling us that we don't deserve to live is another. But telling us how we're supposed to feel? That's the biggest load of absolute fox dung that I've ever heard!"

Hopekit gasped at the cursing. Fox dung was such a strong word, one of the most offensive and insulting words the trio of kits knew, but after a moment, she nodded with agreement. "She's right. Everytime someone calls me she or her or when father calls me his son, I feel terrible. Like bees are stinging me all over. It hurts but I can just ignore it and pretend it's not happening. It bothers me all day but there's not really anything I can do to get the stingers out."

Guilt twinged in Brokenkit's gut but it didn't overpower his anger. Nowhere close. "Fine. I don't have control of that. But I should be able to have control over my life."

"It's our life too," Wishkit noted.

"You two just-"

"I know. We're catching a badger ride on your life," Wishkit interrupted, sounding unamused. "But we didn't ask to die. We died so you could live and we didn't get a say in whether or not we got to share your body with you but I'd say we deserve it."

"We're kin, Brokenkit. Littermates," Hopekit said gently. "Nothing can change that. Kin love each other and we can't be torn apart but kin have to respect each other."

"There is no love without respect," Wishkit added.

"And there can be no respect without trust," Brokenkit snapped. "I need to know that neither of you will go back to the medicine den."

"Fine," Wishkit sighed.

"We won't," Hopekit said sadly.

"That's not enough. I need you to promise me."

"We can't… do that," Wishkit said slowly. "What if we get a thorn in our pad? What if we get sick? A promise is forever but we won't go forever without tripping over a root and spraining a paw or going into battle and getting wounded. We'll be apprentices eventually. Sometimes apprentices are asked to help in the medicine den."

"Or someone could just pick us up by our scruff and bring us over there," Hopekit added.

"That's never going to happen," Wishkit deadpanned.

"You never know!" Hopekit said. "We could-"

"Stop it with all this we and us stuff," Brokenkit interrupted, lashing his tail. "Just don't spend all day at the medicine den anymore!"

* * *

Hopekit ended up being in control of Brokenkit's body the next day. Normally when she woke up and saw the nursery, she'd get an elated feeling, happy to finally be able to walk the waking world again. Today, she only felt crestfallen. _I can't visit Yellowfang,_ she thought sadly. _If I do and Brokenkit finds out, he'll get mad again._

Last night, Brokenkit had gotten angrier than Hopekit had ever seen. She didn't think any of them were capable of such rage. His face had been twisted with such fury and he had sheathed and unsheathed his claws, digging them into the ground periodically, with so much pent up aggression that Hopekit found herself scared. _I never could've imagined the day I would be afraid of my own brother._

Hopekit was sure it would pass. In a few days, Brokenkit would have time to think about it and he would apologize. Everything would go back to how it used to be. Hopekit decided she liked normalcy.

_Because this is not normal and this is boring._

Hopekit buried her nose into her bedding, too downtrodden to get up right now. She could sense the other kits and Lizardstripe leaving the nursery for the day, presumably heading to the fresh-kill pile. Hopekit's belly rumbled but she couldn't find the will in her to get up to eat.

Hopekit ended up dozing until around sunhigh when she realized that lying here was one, boring; two, made her muscles stiff; three, uncomfortable; and four, would end up starving her.

_Starving can't be that bad,_ she thought idly. _It might hurt a bit and it would take awhile but I'd get to go to StarClan. I could run and hunt with the other StarClan cats and Wishkit and Brokenkit…_ She paused. _What happens if I die in Brokenkit's body? Do they die too? Do we go to StarClan? What if only one of us goes to StarClan? Do we have more than one life like a leader but only three and not nine?_

Wishkit whisked her tail. She knew she'd been lying here too long and unwelcome thoughts were starting to drift into her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head roughly, trying to drive them away. _Go away, go away._

The scent of mouse suddenly hit her nose, making her mouth water. She blinked her eyes open and saw Runningkit dragging a mouse towards her by the tail.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I thought you might be hungry," Runningkit said. "I thought you went to Yellowfang again today. I didn't notice that you never got up."

"Why do you care?" Hopekit mumbled.

Runningkit dropped the mouse and tilted his head in confusion. "Why wouldn't I care?"

"Don't you hate me like Deerkit, Tanglekit, and Lizardstripe?"

"What? No!" Runningkit shouted, shaking his head hard as if the harder he shook it, the clear his message was. "Why would I hate you? You're my friend, Brokenkit!"

Hearing her brother's name in place of her own stung a bit but Running its words were too meaningful for her to linger on it as she usually did. "Really?"

"Of course!" Runningkit insisted. Abandoning the mouse, he scampered up to her and laid himself down beside her in the nest. He wrapped his tail around hers and pressed his grey pelt against her brown one. He nuzzled her neck. "Deerkit and Tanglekit are mouse brains. They just listen to what other cats say instead of seeing you for who you really are."

Again, his words pierced her heart like icy claws. _I'm not who you think I am. You see Brokenkit but on the inside my spirit is someone entirely different._ Still, his words were comforting. "Thanks, Runningkit."

Runningkit purred. "It's nothing. Do you want to do visit Yellowfang? I'm sure she misses you today."

Hopekit's heart pounded in her chest. _Can I tell him?_ "I… I can't."

Runningkit tilted his head. "How come? Did she kick you out? Is that why you're so sad?"

"No," Hopekit told him. "Well, yes, that's why I'm sad but no, she didn't tell me to leave."

"Then why?"

Hopekit's mouth went dry. "Brokenkit… Got mad. He said we can't see her anymore."

Running its face scrunched up with confusion. "But… you're Brokenkit. If you say you can't go but you want to go, can't you just…?"

Hopekit took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing._ Blood roared in her ears as the pounding of her heart grew as loud as thunder. _I might lose my only friend,_ Hopekit panicked. _I might lose everything._

Running its eyes remained on her, curious and gengiune. There was a warmth in them that drew the words out of Hopekit's mouth before she realized what she was saying. "I'm not Brokenkit! I'm Hopekit. Brokenkit is my brother."

Runningkit's face melded into shock and he reeled back slightly. Hopekit shut her eyes and burned her nose under her paws. _Oh StarClan, he hates me too now. He thinks I'm weird. He'll go tell everyone and they'll… they''ll… banish me from ShadowClan or something. Not even Raggedpelt will come after me and… and…_

Hopekit suddenly realized that Running its flank hadn't left her side. She risked opening one eyes and saw that his face had returned to normal and he was just watching her with eyes that held the same look of warmth.

"You're not… You're not running away?"

Runningkit ran his tongue over her cheek. "Of course not. So you're a different cat, huh? How does that work?"

"There are three of us," Hopekit explained. "There's me, Hopekit; Brokenkit, my brother; and Wishkit, my sister. Me 'an Wishkit died at kitting but Brokenkit survived. When we- he- sleeps, we all meet up in the dream realm. When the Brokenkit's body wakes up, one of us gets to be in control. Brokenkit's been really angry though. He doesn't want me or Wishkit to visit Yellowfang anymore."

"Hopekit and Wishkit…" Runningkit murmured, trying out the names. He looked at her brightly and whisked his tail. "Well, Brokenkit sounds like a grumpy old badger. If he wants to keep you and Wishkit from being happy, he can just be a grouch by himself and you two can play with me!"

"You mean it?" Hopekit asked.

Runningkit nodded. "Of course. That's what friends are for!"

Hopekit broke into a purr. "Thanks Runningkit!"

Runningkit opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the rumble of Hopekit's belly. Her pelt flushed with embarrassment and she ducked her head but Runningkit merely purred with laughter and angled his ears toward the mouse he brought. "How about we share that mouse I brought in?"

Hopekit broke into a purr.

* * *

When Runningkit woke, for once he wasn't drawn back to the warmth of his nest. No, this morning he was excited. Two sunrises ago, he had met Hopekit and yesterday he had met Wishkit. Runningkit had gotten a bit of a sniffle so Wishkit took him to the medicine den to get him check. Yellowfang gave him some herbs which he thought were gross but it was still a lot of fun.

Runningkit ate with his littermates but when Lizardstripe sent them off to play, Runningkit went right up to Brokenkit. Or Wishkit. Or Hopekit. Whoever it was.

"Hi!" Runningkit greeted, bouncing up to him on his toes. Brokenkit looked up from his fresh-kill, orange eyes narrowed. Runningkit skidded to a stop in front of him, kicking up dust. "What do-?"

"What are you doing?" Brokenkit hissed, rising to his paws.

Running its fur ruffled in the wind as he took a step back, eyes wide. Brokenkit's lip was peeled back in a snarl, revealing his teeth, and his claws looked like they were itching to unsheath. Runningkit tucked his tail in and slowly began backing up. "Um… I was just leaving."

"Good," Brokenkit said and tucked back into his fresh-kill as Runningkit turned tail and ran back to his littermates.

* * *

The next sunrise, Runningkit was considerably less enthusiastic when he woke up than he had been the previous ones. He climbed out of his nest with his mother and siblings and ate at the fresh-kill pile. Brokenkit- or whoever it was- slunk out after them, grabbed a scrawny mouse, and retreated to a secluded corner of the camp.

Runningkit and his kin, including his father, shared a large rabbit. It was a good one, big and juicy, but he found himself glancing back at Brokenkit and his tiny meal. He was picking at it, head lowered with his ears flat back guiltily. Running its ears perked up. Whoever that was, he wasn't acting like Brokenkit.

Mudclaw's tail suddenly swished, blocking his view of the other kit. Runningkit didn't care though, he was already feeling much better. _Maybe we can talk and play again today._

Once the meal was over and Lizardstripe and Mudclaw let the kits run off to play, Runningkit bounced over to Brokenkit. "Hi!"

Brokenkit lowered his head, curling inward. Runningkit frowned. None of the kits had ever acted this sullen before. _Maybe there's a fourth one? No, Wishkit or Hopekit would have told me._

"Hey," Runningkit said softly, creeping forward. He licked his ear. "Come on, let's go play."

Brokenkit blinked. "You're not mad at me?"

"Of course not! It was another cat who growled at me and besides, he probably had a good reason... er, who are you?"

The tabby's orange eyes looked up, a familiar glint shining in them. "It's Hopekit."

Runningkit curled his tail in joy, happy that his friend was back. "Wanna find a feather to chase?"


	5. Legacy

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokenkit, Wishkit, or Hopekit's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokenkit. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokenkit so it will say Brokenkit but it might not be Brokenkit. Three minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokenkit's body in the real world.

When it is Running its POV, Runningkit will call the cat he sees Brokenkit until he knows which one it is and will refer to Wishkit and Hopekit as male due to not knowing they are she-cats.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_Remember our talk about the king? The kings are the… children who will grow up and take care of the Leaf."_

~Asuma Sarutobi, Naruto Shippuden

.

* * *

Not being able to visit Yellowfang anymore was frustrating but now at three and a half moons old, Wishkit was okay with that. She had only spent a quarter moon visiting her but she had Runningkit's friendship for all the time since then and she had to say that she valued that more than learning about a medicine cat's work.

Deerkit and Tanglekit still bullied her and her sister and brother on occasion but Hopekit's cheerfulness was usually more than enough to drag them into a game. Brokenkit's aggression usually ended up pushing them away the next day but having them not be nasty like they had in the past was nice.

The four had been getting along today. The fresh-kill pile was full- the apprentices had gone on a big hunting trip at dawn- so each of the kits got their own piece of fresh-kill. Deerkit got a vole, Tanglekit was picking at a lizard, Runningkit had a mouse, and Wishkit had a pigeon. Conversation floated between bites, the weather was nice, the warriors in camp were sharing tongues and sunning themselves. It was nearly sundown and it had been a nice day.

Wishkit was a dark grey tom pad through camp and stopped before the big oak in camp. Her ears perked up and she shouldered Runningkit. "Look, it's Cedarstar."

Runningkit looked up and opened his mouth to respond but Cedarstar tilted his head to the sky and called to his clanmates. "Let all cats old enough to hunt their own prey gather at the clanrock for a clan meeting."

The four kits, despite not being called, tucked away their fresh-kill and headed over to where the clan's cats were gathering, each with a curious glint in their eyes.

Wishkit spotted Foxheart and Crowtail standing behind Nightpaw and Clawpaw and realized what was happening. _They're going to become warriors!_

Cedarstar's gaze swept the gathered cats. "Today I have the honor of giving two of our clanmates their warrior names. Foxheart, Crowtail, do you believe Nightpaw and Clawpaw are ready to become warriors of ShadowClan?"

Both cats gave their confirmation.

"Clawpaw, step forward," Cedarstar ordered. The tom did as he was told and stood before the clan leader looking proud. "I, Cedarstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn."

Clawpaw's eyes shone and Wishkit's shuffled her paws. _He looks so happy! _

"Clawpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your own life?" Cedarstar asked.

"I do," Clawpaw said, voice unwavering.

"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Clawpaw, from the moment on you will be known as Clawface. StarClan honors your bravery and fighting skill, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

Cedarstar rested his muzzle on Clawface's head and the new warrior licked his shoulder before stepping back and glancing at his brother. Nightpaw's eyes shined, happy for his brother, but he stood with his paws close to his body. _He's nervous,_ Wishkit noticed.

"Nightpaw, step forward."

The lean black tom stepped before his leader.

"I, Cedarstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Nightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your own life?"

"I do," Nightpaw said, his nervousness replaced by a steadiness.

"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Nightpaw, from the moment on you will be known as Nightpaw. StarClan honors your courage and kind heart, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

A soft purr rumbled in Nightpelt's throat as he and Cedarstar performed the traditional ritual of leader resting his muzzle on the new warrior's head and the warrior licked his leader's shoulder. The camp broke into yowls.

"Clawface! Nightpelt! Clawface! Nightpelt!"

"What a weird name," Tanglekit whispered. "Clawface? Why not Claw… I don't know, foot or branch? Clawface doesn't even make sense."

"Nightpelt is kind of a boring name," Deerkit agreed. "He has black fur, of course his pelt looks like night."

"Shh," Wishkit hushed. "I want to hear the rest."

"You two will sit a silent vigil and guard the camp tonight," Cedarstar said. "Clan meeting dismissed."

* * *

That night, when Wishkit dreamed her way back to the realm that Hopekit and Brokenkit while she was in control, Wishkit told her littermates about the warrior ceremony she had seen that day before sunset.

"It was amazing," Wishkit was saying. "Cedarstar said the traditional words and Nightpelt and Clawface looked so proud to finally be warriors."

"I want to be a warrior like Clawface!" Brokenkit said excitedly after Wishkit finished accounting the tale. "Even ShadowClan's leader recognized his bravery and fighting skill. When it's my turn to get my warrior name, I want to be recognized for something like that."

"I want to be like Nightpelt," Hopekit said. "He's not perfect, he's always coughing, but he's a good clanmate and he really cares for all of us. When we get our warrior name, I want Cedarstar to recognize our kindness like Nightpelt."

"A warrior doesn't need kindness," Brokenkit argued. "A warrior needs to be strong! When we start training, you better not waste time being dumb, Hopekit. My body needs to be strong for when we fight WindClan."

"Maybe we'll start getting along with WindClan by the time we're old enough to fight," Hopekit suggested. She looked to her sister. "What about you, Wishkit? Do you want to be like Clawface or Nightpelt?"

Wishkit paused and thought for a moment. "Nightpelt, I guess."

"You guess?" Brokenkit questioned.

"I'd like to be a medicine cat like Yellowfang and Sagewhisker," Wishkit admitted.

"You're even dumber than Hopekit!" Brokenkit exclaimed. "Why would you want to be stuck in a smelly old medicine den when you could be patrolling the border, hunting to feed the clan, and battling WindClan and RiverClan?"

Wishkit swatted him with a paw. "I know, I know. We share a life and this life is meant to be one lived as a warrior. I won't try to stop you two but Yellowfang used to be a warrior. Maybe I can be a warrior who just knows how to take care of her clanmates."

Brokenkit's ear flicked in disapproval. "You two are so soft. Our father is the clan deputy, we are meant for better things than being kind and helping our clanmates."

"Maybe you but I like other cats," Hopekit said.

"Whatever."

* * *

Yellowfang watched ShadowClan's elders carry Sagewhisker's body out of the camp with a heavy heart. A moon ago when she watched Nightpelt and Clawface's warrior ceremony, Sagewhisker had been strong and the last thing Yellowfang expected was to one day soon walk into the medicine den and find her mentor unable to breath. Ever since she became a medicine cat, she had barely even given Sagewhisker's death any thought. _I didn't think I would be alone this soon._

She let out a long, ragged breath as her emotions caught up to her and Sagewhisker had disappeared from sight. Sagewhisker had been the one to convince her to follow the path of a medicine cat. _StarClan, she was more than my mentor. When I was a kit, she gave me herbs when I got sick. She taught me to control my powers and supported me before I kitted. She was my denmate and my friend._

An energy broke through the heavy feeling in her body, urging her to run after the elders and beg Sagewhisker to wake up and come back to her. Yellowfang knew that would do nothing and she had to accept her friend's death before long so she could move on and be the medicine cat ShadowClan needed.

_Not now though._ The night was still young and she still had time to visit the Moonstone and see her mentor one last time. After informing Cedarstar of her plans, Yellowfang rushed out of camp and towards WindClan territory and the Highstones.

As she crossed the border, her actions caught up with her. ShadowClan was rarely on good terms with WindClan. She was sure they wouldn't attack a medicine cat but she couldn't remember the last time she had come here without Sagewhisker. She suddenly felt unsafe.

Yellowfang managed to pass through WindClan territory with no problems and reached the Highstones as the sky darkened. Her paws were a bit sore but this wasn't a journey she had never made before.

It was moonhigh when Yellowfang reached Mothermouth. She padded into the cave, feeling her paws touch the indentations left by dozens of medicine cats before her. The stone felt cold against her pads but the tracks were always comforting and filled her belly with a warm feeling of kinship.

A light trickled in from ahead, piercing the pitch black of the Mothermouth tunnel, and Yellowfang broke into the cave where the Moonstone awaited. A moon beam rained down from above, illuminating the Moonstone with moonlight and bathing Yellowfang's pelt in its beauty.

Without any other medicine cats here tonight, Yellowfang didn't wait to touch her nose to the Moonstone. Almost the instant she did, she felt herself being pulled into a deep sleep. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in a field she knew was in StarClan.

A snowy white she-cat stood in the short green grass, watching her with blue eyes brimming with youth. Her pelt was fluffy and healthy and she greying of her muzzle was long gone. Here in StarClan, she looked as she had in her peak.

"Sagewhisker," Yellowfang purred.

"Yellowfang," Sagewhisker greeted. "You shouldn't have come."

"I had to."

"Amd I'm glad you did," Sagewhisker told her. "I have a message for you."

Yellowfang blinked. "A message?"

"A prophecy," Sagewhisker confirmed. "One that StarClan told me the first time I touched the Moonstone, back when I was barely out of the nursery and Redthistle's new apprentice."

Yellowfang's eyes widened. Sagewhisker wasn't ancient but she was old. Old enough to have retired if she had been a warrior. _To have received this prophecy so long ago… Why didn't she tell me when she was alive? Why now? Why not before?_

"When I heard it, I was untrained and couldn't hear the whole thing but my friends in StarClan have shared the whole thing with me now," Sagewhisker told her. She looked Yellowfang dead in the eye. "Are you ready?"

Yellowfang nodded. "I am."

"Listen carefully," Sagewhisker instructed. "_The heart Hopes for love and the Wish is to heal but the mind and body will become Broken in time."_

Yellowfang frowned and cocked her head. "What does that mean? Why are you telling me this?"

"That is for you to figure out, Yellowfang," Sagewhisker told her. "Now, it's time for you to wake up and return to your clan."

Yellowfang felt a flash of panic in her chest. "Wait! I want to talk to you!"

"Another time," Sagewhisker promised. Yellowfang wanted to yowl but the world around her began fading and she found herself being thrown back into the waking world.

* * *

Yellowfang woke, body stiff, beside the Moonstone. It was still dark but the moon was beginning to hide as daylight neared so the glow of the Moonstone was dying. Yellowfang got to her paws and stretched before beginning to groom. Sagewhisker's words echoed in her ears.

_The heart Hopes for love and the Wish is to heal but the mind and body will become Broken in time._

Yellowfang frowned at the emphasized words. _Hope, Wish, Broken._ Those were the names she had given her kits. Little Wishkit who had died at birth, tiny Hopekit who hadn't been strong enough to survive, and Brokenkit who had the strength to pull through but looked so angry even as a newborn.

Yellowfang knew that as a medicine cat she wasn't meant to have kits. She also remembered StarClan's warning that Brokenkit would be a danger to the forest. Still, even if she didn't claim him as her own, she couldn't imagine the little kit she was chasing feathers outside the nursery being the cat StarClan warned her about.

_But the prophecy. _Now Sagewhisker was warning her of something. Something involving Brokenkit. Something she didn't understand. _StarClan, why do you have to be so confusing? Just tell me what you want me to know about Brokenkit and what this has to do with Wishkit and Hopekit!_

Yellowfang suddenly felt a longing to see her daughters. If she couldn't claim Brokenkit as her son, she would fight any cat who said she couldn't keep a place in her heart for the two daughters. Raggedpelt's heart only held love for Brokenkit now and Brokenkit had given up a chance to have a mere friendship with his mother. Yellowfang could move past the two toms but now she had heard something about the she-cats in her messed up little family and Yellowfang found herself wishing that she could just speak to them, even in StarClan, and understand whatever Sagewhisker was trying to tell her about her son and deceased daughters.


	6. Apprenticeship

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokenkit, Wishkit, or Hopekit's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokenkit. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokenkit so it will say Brokenkit but it might not be Brokenkit. Three minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokenkit's body in the real world.

When it is Running its POV, Runningkit will call the cat he sees Brokenkit until he knows which one it is and will refer to Wishkit and Hopekit as male due to not knowing they are she-cats.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

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"_When the sun is strong, the shadows are strong."_

~Puddleshine, Tigerheart's Shadow

.

* * *

Life was good but kithood was coming to an end fast. Sitting outside the nursery, Runningkit realized that the camp didn't look as big as it had when he wandered out of the nursery for the first time. The fresh-kill pile wasn't so massive, the medicine den wasn't so far, the brambles protecting camp didn't look so tall. Now at five moons of age, the only thing in camp that Runningkit found mysterious was the thorn tunnel leading out to the rest of ShadowClan's territory.

Looking at camp like this, Runningkit felt old. Well, he always felt a felt a bit old. He always caught every passing sickness and that made his nose run so often he felt like an elder who wouldn't stop complaining about aching joints. Not that he complained. He didn't exactly like feeling like this all the time, quite the opposite really, but it caused him to visit the medicine den a bit more often that most cats and if not for that, he never would have realized the allure of being a medicine cat.

"Hey, Wishkit?" Runningkit spoke up as the two lounged outside the nursery, sunning their pelts in the midday warmth.

"Hmm?" Wishkit hummed, lifting his head to look at the other kit lazily. "What is it?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?" Wishkit asked, putting his head back down on his paws but keeping one eye open to watch him.

"I know you're interested in herbs…"

"You want to ask Yellowfang if you can be a medicine cat apprentice," Wishkit realized without further prompting.

Runningkit lowered his gaze. "Yeah."

"Well, good for you," Wishkit said. "You'll make a great medicine cat."

Runningkit jerked his head back up. "Really? Don't you want to be a medicine cat?"

Wishkit shrugged. "If I was my own cat, yeah. But I'm not. I'm sure Hopekit could go either way but she's not particularly interested. There's no way in StarClan Brokenkit would want to be a medicine cat though. He wants to be a warrior."

Runningkit frowned. "That's too bad."

"What is?"

"That you can't follow your dreams," Runningkit said. "If Tanglekit and Deerkit and I shared a body, I wouldn't be able to become a medicine cat because the two of them want to be warriors. I'd be sad but I wouldn't want to hold them back so I'd just go along with it. I feel like that's what you're doing. It's not fair to you."

Wishkit sighed. "I guess. But I was the one who died at kitting. Brokenkit survived and Hopekit managed to fight for life a little bit longer than me. I feel like those two deserve to live a lot more than me and I don't want to do anything to get in their way."

Worry for his friend flashed in Runningkit's chest and his eyes grew round with concern. He got off his flank and sat beside the tabby, reaching down to give the top of his head soothing licks. "Don't talk like that. You deserved to survive but you didn't so StarClan gave you a second chance. Don't take that for granted. You should follow your passions."

Wishkit closed his eyes, comforted by Runningkit's lapping. "Then you wouldn't be able to be Yellowfang's apprentice."

Runningkit paused for the briefest of moments. "I would give that up for you to be happy."

"Then you would be unhappy," Wishkit pointed out. "And so would Hopekit and Brokenkit."

"Hopekit can never be unhappy," Runningkit pointed out. "And Brokenkit will always be unhappy."

Wishkit snorted in amusement as Runningkit stopped his licking and lied back down. "Maybe. I still wouldn't ask three cats to give up their dreams for me though."

Runningkit frowned and curled up beside him. "It's not fair though."

"It's not," Wishkit admitted. "But I know I can make the best of what I have. Go ask Yellowfang if you can be her apprentice."

Runningkit looked at his friend. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I am."

"But are you really?"

"I said I was and I mean it."

"But-"

"Yes for as many stars there are in the sky. Just go ask her, Runningkit!"

* * *

"Let all cats old enough to hunt their own prey gather at the clanrock for a clan meeting!"

Nightpelt looked up from his fresh-kill at the sound of his leader's voice. It had been two and a half moons since he had been named a warrior and so far, he was doing pretty well. His ever-present cough was letting up a bit, there had been no major battles, and he had done more than contribute to the fresh-kill pile. He spent less time with his brother, Clawface, since they didn't have to train so much but they remained close and their clanmates welcomed them into the warriors den like kin.

Nightpelt drifted over to sit by his brother as the clan gathered around the rock where Cedarstar called the clan together for clan meetings.

"What's this about?" Nightpelt whispered to Clawface. Clayface merely angled his ears over to the edge of the group. Lizardstripe was frantically trying to groom Deerkit and Tanglekit while Runningkit was being groomed by Mudclaw. All three kits were trying to escape their parents.

Nightpelt's whiskers twitched in amusement until he saw Brokenkit sitting a tail length away, watching the family longingly. Nightpelt felt sorry for the little kit. _Poor kit. It looks like Cedarstar's going to make them into apprentices and he has no one to spend the morning with. _Suddenly, Raggedpelt padded over and murmured something in Brokenkit's ear. Nightpelt felt his heart crack at the way the kit's face lit up at the sight of his father approaching. _I understand being deputy is hard but Brokenkit's clearly not getting enough attention. Raggedpelt should make more of an effort to spend time with him if Lizardstripe and Mudclaw won't._

Cedarstar cleared his throat and the camp's attention was on him. "Today is a proud day in ShadowClan. Today, four kits will leave the nursery and join our ranks as apprentices. Deerkit, step forward."

The brown tom stepped forward and looked up at his leader.

"Deerkit**, **you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Deerpaw. Your mentor will be Cloudpelt. I hope Cloudpelt will pass down all he knows on to you. Cloudpelt**, **you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Raggedpelt, and you have shown yourself to be driven and kind. You will be the mentor of Deerpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Deerpaw."

Cloudpelt padded forward and touched noses with Deerpaw. He said something quietly to him, making the younger tom purr, and the two retreated a bit to let Cedarstar call the next cat up.

"Brokenkit, step forward."

Brokenkit swallowed and glanced at his father before taking his place in front of the ShadowClan leader.

"Wonder who he's going to get," Clawface whispered into Nightpelt's ear. "The only cat who would want to mentor him in Raggedpelt and that's against the warrior code."

"I'm sure Cedarstar will picked an experienced cat who will be good for him," Nightpelt told him.

"Brokenkit**, **you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Brokenpaw. Your mentor will be Nightpelt. I hope Nightpelt will pass down all he knows on to you."

Nightpelt's mind blanked. _...What?_

Clawface shouldered him before hissing in his ear. "Go!"

Nightpelt's mind whirled as he got to his paws and padded forward. His first thought was that he was getting the deputy's son as his first apprentice. His second thought was that he wasn't ready. _I've haven't even been a warrior for three moons! Brokenpaw will need a good mentor and I'm not even a good warrior! Clawface has been training just as long as I have and even he'd be a much better teacher than I would be._

"Nightpelt," Cedarstar said when Nightpelt stopped before him,"you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Foxheart, and you have shown yourself to be patient and thoughtful. You will be the mentor of Brokenpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

"Thank you," Nightpelt whispered and dipped his head to Cedarstar. He glanced at Brokenkit, expecting him to be disappointed but the new apprentice looked excited.

"I'm looking forward to training with you, Nightpelt," Brokenkit said.

Nightpelt felt a wave of relief and touched his nose to his. "And I'm looking forward to training you. I'll try to be the best mentor I can be."

Brokenkit purred and the two stepped back as Cedarstar called Tanglekit forward. Nightpelt was curious as to who the next mentor could be. Afterall, they would likely be training their apprentices together.

"Tanglekit**, **you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Tanglepaw. Your mentor will be Wolfstep. I hope Wolfstep will pass down all he knows on to you. Wolfstep,you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Brightflower, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and hard working. You will be the mentor of Tanglepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Nightpelt's ear twitched in surprise. So far, all the mentors were good ones. Wolfstep was the brother of his own mentor, Foxheart, and Nightpelt and Cloudpelt had a mutual friend in Yellowfang. Both toms had been treated by her extensively, Nightpelt for his cough and Cloudpelt for an injury by the paws of rouges and caring for him when he was sick as a kit. The three would work well together, hopefully. Now Nightpelt just wondered who Runningkit would receive as a mentor.

"Runningkit**, **you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Runningpaw. Your mentor will be Yellowfang. I hope Yellowfang will pass down all she knows on to you. Yellowfang,you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Sagewhisker, and you have shown yourself to be caring and committed to the clan. You will be the mentor of Runningpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Nightpelt was surprised that Runningpaw was following the path of a medicine cat but neither Yellowfang nor Runningpaw looked surprised as the two touched noses.

"Deerpaw! Tanglepaw! Brokenpaw! Runningpaw!"

Nightpelt joined the chanting for a few times before the group of mentors and apprentices was dismissed and headed towards the camp's thorn entrance.

"I can't believe we're finally leaving camp!" Deerpaw said to his sister excitedly.

"What are we going to do?" Brokenpaw asked. "Train? Fight WindClan?"

Nightpelt shook his head, too startled by the kit's aggression to speak for a few heartbeats. "No. We'll take it easy today. Usually mentors just show new apprentices the territory and we'll start training tomorrow."

Surprisingly, Brokenpaw's tail waved with excitement. "That's great! How big is the territory?"

"Huge," Cloudpelt answered, drifting to the middle of the group. "So much bigger than camp!"

"Make sure you four rememeber the borders," Yellowfang spoke. "We don't want any featherbrained apprentices crossing the border and getting injured." She looked to Runningpaw. "A lot of good herbs grow at the ThunderClan border and the back one. I'll point out any patches if we see any."

"Alright." Runningpaw nodded.

"I smell squirrel," Deerpaw spoke up.

Brokenpaw sniffed. "Me too. Can we try catching it?"

"Not yet," Nightpelt told him. "You don't have any idea how to hunt yet. You'll just scare it away."

"Oh." Brokenpaw said. "Then can we watch you catch it?"

Nightpelt blinked, surprised by the request. Cloudpelt shouldered him in the direction of the scent. "No sense wasting a meal. Go for it, Nightpelt. Show these 'paws how it's done."

Nightpelt suddenly felt the prickle of nervousness in his belly. Sure, he was a fine hunter but it would be embarrassing if he missed a catch, especially in front of his new apprentice. He swallowed it away and shook out his dark pelt, squaring his shoulders and preparing for the hunt.

Nightpelt began sniffing, inhaling the scent of pine and marsh. A few places on the territory that he wanted to show Brokenpaw came to mind but he pushed the thought away for now. Right now he had to focus on finding the scent of his prey.

There it was, nibbling at the base of a thick oak that stood out against the surrounding pines. Nightpelt opened his mouth, tasting the air. He was in luck, they were downwind. He could smell the squirrel but it wouldn't smell him.

He dropped into a hunter's crouch and began creeping forward, stalking his unsuspecting prey. As he neared, the squirrel seemed to be alerted of his presence but not alarmed and looked up, sniffing the air. Nightpelt froze, muscles tensed and ready to spring ig it bolted, but the squirrel just resumed its nibbling and Nightpelt crept forward a bit more.

He pounced and his paw came down on it's back. It thrashed, slipping out from his grip but only for a heartbeat. Nightpelt killed it with a swift bite to the back of the neck.

The sounds of the forest suddenly flooded back into his ears now that his entire mind wasn't so focused on his prey. He glanced back to the patrol and saw that the apprentices were watching him with awe, impressed. Nightpelt felt a flash of pride. He picked up the squirrel and padded over.

"That's how you do it," he said. "Wait for me to burry this and we can keep going."

"That was amazing, Nightpelt!" Brokenpaw said enthusiastically. "Can you show me how to hunt like that?"

"Of course," Nightpelt said, pelt flushing with pride. "That's my job as your mentor. Now how about we all check out the borders, the Burnt Sycamore, and the Carrionplace? We have a lot of land to cover."


	7. Distraction

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokenpaw, Wishpaw, or Hopepaw's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokenpaw. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokenpaw so it will say Brokenpaw but it might not be Brokenpaw. Three minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokenpaws body in the real world.

When it is Runningpaw's POV, Runningpaw will call the cat he sees Brokenpaw until he knows which one it is and will refer to Wishpaw and Hopepaw as male due to not knowing they are she-cats.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

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"_The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart." _

~Robert G. Ingersell.

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* * *

"Clawface!" Nightpelted whined as he flopped down on the ground next to his brother.

Clawface looked up from his fresh-kill, whiskers twitching in amusement. "I'd ask how you're doing but I can already tell I don't want to know."

"Being a mentor" Nightpelt exasperated.

Clawface ran his tail over the black tom's spine, soothing him. "Come on, it can't be that bad."

Seeing that his brother wasn't going to humor him, he dropped the kit-like behavior and sat up. "Seriously, Clawface, I don't think I'm ready to be a mentor."

"It's only been a quarter moon," Clawface pointed out. "You'll figure it out. Cedarstar wouldn't have chosen you to mentor Brokenpaw if he didn't think you were right for the role."

"I don't understand why he chose me to mentor the deputy's son," Nightpelt grumbled. "He has a lot of potential. I feel like it's going to waste having a mentor like me."

Clawface leaned over and lapped his brother's shoulder fur comfortingly. "Hey, don't talk like that. I'm sure you're just clawing yourself up over nothing."

"Cedarstar could've chosen any cat. Brokenpaw is Raggedpelt's son," Nightpelt emphasized. "He should've chosen a senior warrior or someone who's trained apprentices before. Not the clan's newest warrior."

"He must've chosen you for some reason," Clawface pointed out. He paused for a moment. "When Cedarstar chose you as his mentor, he said you were patient and thoughtful. Maybe he thought Brokenpaw would benefit from that more than having an experienced mentor."

"Maybe," Nigtpelt murmured. He replayed the last few sunrises in his head. "That actually makes a lot of sense."

Clayface brightened a bit. "Really?"

Nightpelt curled his tail around his paws. "I guess you need patience to train a young cat like him and I have no idea what to do with him but I suppose any other cat wouldn't either…"

Clawface frowned. "How come?"

"Well…" Nightpelt trailed off, trying to find his words. "Sometimes, he does everything I tell him to do. We hunt, he catches prey without a care in the world, and he seems proud when he carries it back to camp."

"And why…?"

"Other times it's like his head's in the clouds," Nightpelt went on. "Doesn't notice prey, trips over things, almost misses the scent markers. He just stares up at the sky and sniffs at plants around the forest all day."

"That's weird," Clawface meowed.

"I know, right?" Nightpelt agreed. "But this is the weirdest part: a lot of the time he's a real friendly, kind hearted cat."

"And?"

"The rest of the time he's not! One day he's chasing butterflies and the next he's trying to claw Deerpaw's pelt off or demanding that I teach him battle moves when he's supposed to be learning the hunter's crouch."

Clawface purred in amusement. "He's young. I'm sure he's just excited about finally being an apprentice."

"We're not that old," Nightpelt pointed out, lowering so he was lying down again. "We still remember what it was like to be that young and train with cats that age. Being excited can't make you one cat one day and another cat the next."

Clawface sighed. "Maybe you're just imagining it?"

"Maybe," Nightpelt murmured. "But Cloudpelt mentioned something about it the other day."

Clawface pushed his fresh-kill in front of Nightpelt with one paw. "Get some rest and sleep in it. If you think it's that much of a problem, talk to Raggedpelt."

Nightpelt took a bite of the fresh-kill. It wasn't warm by any means but the flavor was still rich and flooded his tongue, momentarily distracting him from his predicament. "Thanks, Clawface."

Clawface shouldered the black tom playfully. "Anytime, brother."

* * *

The next morning, Nightpelt woke up early, far earlier than Brokenpaw did, so he could talk to Raggedpelt before he organized dawn patrol.

He let out a long breath as he padded through camp. He didn't want to sound like he was complaining, especially as a new warrior to the clan's respected deputy, but he was legitimately concerned. There was something off about Brokenpaw and these drastic changes day to day made it difficult to train him. Nightpelt wasn't even sure if the younger tom was learning anything at all.

"Raggedpelt?" Nightpelt called quietly into the cool morning air as he padded to where Raggedpelt was sitting at the base of the clan rock.

The dark tabby looked up at the sound of his name. "Nightpelt. Are you here for dawn patrol?"

"No. Well, I may as well since I'm here but I actually came here to talk to you about something else," Nightpelt said.

Raggedpelt's ears perked. "What is it?"

"Well… It's Brokenpaw," Nightpelt said.

Raggedpelt broke into a purr. "That's right. I've been meaning to ask about his training. How is he doing?"

"Well…" Nightpelt trailed off. "Good for the most part but some days… Have you ever noticed something odd about Brokenpaw?"

Raggedpelt tilted his head. "Odd?"

"I mean… Some days he's very friendly and eager, others he's more distracted and thoughtful," Nightpelt said. He then quickly added, "Which is fine. I like training him. But sometimes he's really aggressive and… I don't know, angry."

Raggedpelt's ear flicked but he didn't say anything.

Nightpelt let out a long breath. "I don't know why I'm telling you this… You can't really do anything about it I guess. I like Brokenpaw, I really do, but it's kind of hard to train him when one heartbeat he's excited about hunting and the next he's demanding to learn battlemoves. Is… Is everything alright with Brokenpaw?"

Raggedpelt's ears suddenly flattened and his lip began to peel back a bit. Nightpelt instinctively took a step back as Raggedpelt clawed the ground. "My son is more than fine. He will be the greatest warrior this clan has ever seen."

"I believe that, I really do," Nightpelt said. "Some day he'll be a great warrior but right now-"

"You're not teaching him what he needs to learn," Raggedpelt glowered.

"Battlemoves? Raggedpelt, Brokenpaw's only been an apprentice for a quarter-moon and mentors usually don't start preparing an apprentice for battle until-"

"My son isn't a usual apprentice," Raggedpelt stated. "I understand you haven't trained an apprentice before but Brokenpaw is special and he needs training. If you don't want to teach him battlemoves, I will."

Nightpelt blinked. _That's kind of rude… And conceited. I understand that the warrior says that a parent can't mentor his or her kit and that there's nothing saying another warrior can't train another cat's apprentice but still… It's kind of insulting._

Nightpelt lowered his head. "Very well, Raggedpelt. Please though, I'm his mentor. Let me oversee his training."

"Of course. I don't know what Cedarstar was thinking when he assigned you as Brokenpaw's mentor but I'm sure he had some idea," Raggedpelt said. Nightpelt winced at the sound of his own thoughts coming from another cat's mouth. "Cedarstar thinks you were the best choice for Brokenpaw for some reason or another. Do whatever Cedarstar believed you could. When you feel like you can't handle him, send him to me."

A slight anger boiled in Nightpelt's chest but he pushed it down and merely nodded to his deputy. "Alright. But only when I ask or if I'm not around. I still want to train my first apprentice."

"Understandable," Raggedpelt said. "Now, dawn patrol?"

A brilliant thought struck in Nightpelt's mind. _That could work…_ "Raggedpelt?"

"Yes?"

"What if Brokenpaw and I came on dawn patrol every day?"

Raggedpelt looked surprised. "What?"

"That way I can get a feel for what he wants to do and how he'll be. If he's in the mood for learning battlemoves or if he's being a pawful, I can send him you're way. If you're not busy of course. Besides, getting up at the crack of dawn to serve your clan builds character. Y'know, remind him of how great ShadowClan is."

Raggedpelt looked thoughtful. "Alright. I'll save you two a spot every morning."

"Thanks," Nightpelt purred. "You have no idea how much help this will be."

* * *

Wishpaw woke to a paw prodding her back. "Come on, Brokenpaw. We've got dawn patrol."

Wishpaw stifled a groan as she blinked awake to the sight of her mentor standing over her. "Do we have to?"

"Yes," Nightpelt said patiently. "It's part of being a warrior."

"I'm not a warrior yet," Wishpaw said and put her head back down only for Nightpelt to push away the moss of her new nest, exposing her pelt to the cold of the morning. She hisses in shock and shot up, glaring at the black tom. _He looks so smug._

Nightpelt purred in amusement. "Come on. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get this over with."

"Just go on patrol Ho- er… Whoever you are," Runningkit called tiredly from his nest in the den. His tail poked out and waved at her sluggishly. "You're keeping us all awake."

"Yeah. Get out of here, Brokenpaw," Tanglepaw said groggily, lifting her head up for a few heartbeats before dropping it again. "I need my beauty sleep."

"We all need some shut eye after yesterday," Deerpaw agreed.

"You four barely did anything yesterday!" Nightpelt protested good naturedly. "Come on, Brokenpaw. Let's not keep your denmates up."

Wishpaw groaned and tore herself from the lingering warmth of her nest and padded out of the den after her mentor. "You didn't have to be so loud. I'm sure half the camp woke up from all your racket."

"Well, lesson learned," Nightpelt purred. "This means you'll wake up at dawn every morning, right?"

For a moment, Wishpaw was happy she had such a great mentor, one who could joke around like this. Then, she realized he was being serious. "What?"

"We're doing dawn patrol every morning," Nightpelt announced.

Wishpaw's tiredness faded as her body went numb. "Um… Why?"

"It's part of your training," Nightpelt said.

"And?"

"It's more for my sake than yours," Nightpelt admitted. "Getting up this early and doing the same thing with you everyday will give me an idea of how to tackle your training each day. You're my first apprentice after all and I'm a pretty new warrior. Besides, it builds character."

Wishkit sensed there was more to his words than he was letting on but she decided to let it go. She sighed. "Fine. I'll get up every morning at dawn. But don't get your fur in a bunch if I oversleep a little every once in awhile. I doubt you'll wake up every morning with a perfect record either."

Nightpelt purred. "Then it's a good thing I've got such a great apprentice to keep me in line."

"Stop that. I'm going to die of embarrassment," Wishpaw said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Nightpelt only laughed and waved his tail for her to follow her. "Come on. I'm sure the other warriors are waiting. Wouldn't want to delay the patrol now would we?"


	8. Divided

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokenpaw, Wishpaw, or Hopepaw's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokenpaw. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokenpaw so it will say Brokenpaw but it might not be Brokenpaw. Three minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokenpaw's body in the real world.

When it is Runningpaw's POV, Runningpaw will call the cat he sees Brokenpaw until he knows which one it is and will refer to Wishpaw and Hopepaw as male due to not knowing they are she-cats.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_So, please, don't break my heart. Don't tear me apart. I know how it starts. Trust me, I've been broken before."_

~It's You, Ali Gate

.

* * *

"Hey Brokenpaw," Runningpaw greeted as the brown tabby tom stalked into his den.

"How did you know it was me?" Brokenpaw asked.

"The three of you walk different," Runningpaw said. "Hopepaw has some bounce in his step, Wishpaw is more cautious, you're more forward." His whiskers twitched in amusement and he purred, "Besides, you're as grumpy as a badger. Hopepaw's a ray of sunshine and Wishpaw's a sturdy tree stump but you're like a bramble waiting on a path, ready to poke a cat in the eye when he pads past!"

Brokenpaw sat down on the floor of the medicine den and groaned in annoyance. "Is Yellowfang around? Even she's easier to deal with than you."

"Nope," Runningpaw said, keeping up his cheerful demeanor just to annoy the other tom. "What can I do for you?"

"I need something for my pads," Brokenpaw said. "Nightpelt's had me on patrol all day and Hopepaw wore out my body yesterday with all the battle training."

"I'll get some dock," Runningpaw said, turning to rummage through the herb stores. "How's your training going? You've been an apprentice for four moons and I feel like I haven't talked to you since Nightpelt started teaching you battle moves."

"That's because he hasn't," Brokenpaw grumbled. "My sisters get to do all the fun stuff."

Runningpaw froze. "Sisters?"

"Yeah," Brokenpaw went on. "Hopepaw and Wishpaw get to battle and get to hunt with the others. On the days I'm around, Nightpelt usually puts me on border patrol. If it wasn't for Raggedpelt, I'd never learn anything."

Brokenpaw didn't seem to notice Runningpaw's confusion at his word choice so Runningpaw shook those thoughts out of his head. _He's probably just trying to be mean…_ He grabbed a bundle of dock leaves and began chewing them up. "Just talk to Nightpelt. Or even better, Wishpaw. I know Wishpaw doesn't really like fighting."

Brokenpaw whisked his tail. "Maybe."

"Show me your paws," Runningpaw instructed. Brokenpaw did as he was told and reared up so his forepaws were in the air and held them out. Runningpaw spat the pulp on the pads and began lapping them. "Just rest your paws for a bit. They should start feeling better once the dock leaves' juices seep in."

"Will do."

"I'm getting better at this medicine cat stuff, aren't I?"

Brokenpaw snorted. "You've been a medicine cat apprentice for four moons."

"And you've been patrolling for four moons and you're still a badger," Runningpaw said humorously. "Granted, you're more of a young badger now than a smelly old one but a badger's still a badger no matter how grouchy it is."

Brokenpaw rolled his eyes. "I'm going to go take a nap. Nightpelt still makes me do dawn patrol every morning. StarClan, I swear he's got it out for me."

"He's just doing his best to turn you into a good warrior," Runningpaw said, turning to tuck the rest of the dock back into its place in the medicine den wall.

"I'm already a great warrior," Brokenpaw said gruffly, padding out of the den without another word.

* * *

"You're asleep early," Wishpaw commented as Brokenpaw opened his eyes to the realm he always visited in his sleep. _Just once. Just once I would like to have a normal dream instead of coming here and having to deal with my littermates._

"Runningpaw told me to stay off my paws," Brokenpaw told her.

"How come?" Hopepaw asked, bundling over. "You get a thorn in your pad or something like that?"

Brokenpaw flicked his ear. "No. Wishpaw wore them out in training yesterday and I had to patrol all over the territory today. And then I had to do running and climbing training."

"Oh. That's too bad. I hope they're all healed up when it's my turn tomorrow."

Brokenpaw lashed his tail in annoyance. "Any chance you'll let me have my turn during battle practice?"

"Um. No," Hopepaw said. "You get to train with Raggedpelt. I'm not going to learn anything if I don't get my turn training with Nightpelt."

"Hey, don't you think that it's odd that Hopepaw and I have never trained with Raggedpelt?" Wishpaw spoke up. "Or that Brokenpaw has never learned any fighting moves from Nightpelt?"

Brokenpaw shrugged. "StarClan just hates me."

"Don't talk like that," Hopepaw said, pressing against his flank. "StarClan loves every cat as much as-"

Brokenpaw pushed her off of him and looked to Wishpaw. "You don't even like fighting. Can you let me have control of my body when you're supposed to be fighting with the other apprentices?"

"No," Wishpaw said.

"No? Just no? No explanation, no nothing?" Brokenpaw growled. "Just a flat no?"

"We each get a full day in control," Wishpaw said. "None of us gets a day back to back, we don't steal control from each other. There are boundaries and we respect them. Besides, there's more to life than battle. Training in other things will make you stronger. Us stronger."

_Steal control?_ Could they even do that? Brokenpaw shook out his pelt. "I'm the warrior out of the three of us. I deserve-"

"Stop it with all this 'I deserve' stuff," Hopepaw interrupted. "We've all got the same rights. Just because it's your body, you don't get to push us around. There are three minds here and you're usually fighting the two of us, Brokenpaw. Stop trying to make this life something that it's not. We share it, that won't change."

Brokenpaw lashed his tail. "I'm not-! Whatever. Go have your fun when you wake up. I'll be a better warrior than either of you my own way."

* * *

Hopepaw woke at sunrise and went on dawn patrol with Nightpelt as she and her littermates did every morning ever since their training began. After so many moons, she felt like she was starting to get used to it.

Border patrols were boring but this morning Raggedpelt had assigned her and Nightpelt to a hunting patrol. Just the idea made Hopepaw's tail curl in excitement. If Brokenpaw was the fighter and Wishpaw was the healer, Hopepaw was the hunter. She loved finding fresh-kill for the clan.

It was nearing the end of green-leaf but leaf-fall weather had not yet begun setting in so prey still ran through ShadowClan's forest. Hopepaw ended up catching a vole, a sparrow, three lizards, and two mice. That was seven pieces of prey. It was so much that the rest of the prey had to help carry it. Seeing her clanmates carry back her prey made Hopepaw's chest fur puff with pride. Even Archeye, one of the cats on the dawn hunting patrol, was impressed.

Nightpelt was proud of her too. That made Hopepaw happier than she expected. Nightpelt was a fantastic mentor. She wanted to show him that all his work paid off.

Of course, she wanted to share this joyous occasion with her best friend so when Nightpelt let her go to the fresh-kill pile while he talked to his brother Clawface, Hopepaw snagged the vole and a squirrel from the pile and padded over to the medicine den to share with Runningpaw.

Yellowfang was on her way out when Hopepaw came by. With her mouth full of prey, Hopepaw couldn't speak but she waved her tail in greeting. Yellowfang dipped her head and padded out of the entrance off to wherever she was going, allowing Hopepaw to slip in.

Hopepaw set the prey down on the floor of the medicine den, making sure that she didn't set the prey on any piles of herbs. Runningpaw glanced over at her at the sound of her arrival. "Hopepaw?"

"Good guess," Hopepaw said. "Wishpaw."

"Fox dung! I was so sure."

"I'm kidding. It's Hopepaw," Hopepaw said.

Runningpaw snorted. "You can't do that, you know that? Not fair at all. The three of you share a body. I can't tell who's who."

Hopepaw rolled her eyes. "You mastered the guessing game moons ago."

Runningpaw padded over and sat across from her. "You got me there. You catch all these?"

Hopepaw shook her head. "Just the vole. I didn't catch a squirrel and I know you like them so I brought the one Archeye caught."

"Honestly, I'd eat anything right now," Runningpaw said. "My belly thinks my throat has been clawed out. I haven't eaten since sunhigh yesterday."

"Really? How come?" Hopepaw asked, leaning down to take a bite of her vole.

"Rowanberry's expecting kits," Runningpaw reminded. "It's her first litter and she's nervous. Clawface isn't much better and the father's supposed to be the reassuring one. Rowanberry's Yellowfang's sister so Yellowfang thinks that some distance between the two of them will do some good."

Hopepaw tilted her head, not getting it.

"It's harder to do your duties as a medicine cat when you're caring for someone you care about," Runningpaw explained through a mouthful of squirrel.

"Oh. That makes sense."

"Yeah, well, it means more work for me," Runningpaw went on. "It's good practice I guess."

Hopepaw nodded. "You'll be a great medicine cat."

Runningpaw chewed thoughtfully. "I hope so. I still kind of feel like I stole the spot from Wishpaw."

"Hey, Wishpaw came to the decision on her own," Hopepaw said. "Wishpaw trusts the clan in your paws."

Runningpaw suddenly went quiet, eyes wide.

Hopepaw blinked. "What?"

"Her," Runningpaw said. Hopepaw was confused for a moment before it dawned on her. "You said her."

"He," Hopepaw corrected, voice cracking. The word tasted so foul on her tongue. "I meant he. I got… I messed it up because of…"

Hopepaw's mind blanked and a panic rose in her chest.

Runningpaw put a tail tip on her shoulder. "Calm down, Hopepaw. I… Yesterday Brokenpaw called you and Wishpaw his sisters. Are you two she-cats?"

Hopepaw nodded numbly.

Runningpaw swatted her with his tail. Despite the lightness to the touch, it stung Hopepaw for a few heartbeats before she noticed the playful glint in her friend's eyes. "You should've told me! I've been calling you two toms this whole time. I feel so bad now."

Hopepaw blinked a few times in surprise. "You… Why would you feel bad?"

"I should've known," Runningpaw said. "That's how I tell you and Wishpaw apart from Brokenpaw. Wishpaw's got a stride like Yellowfang, Brokenpaw's got Raggedpelt's posture, and you… Well, you're not really like any other cat but you're so cleary a she-cat."

"Then why didn't you say anything?" That would've made life a lot easier.

"I might've been wrong. You never know," Runningpaw said. He paused. "Well, you do know in every situation but this one but you know what I mean. I didn't want to upset you or hurt you or anything."

_Being called a tom hurts a lot more. _Runningpaw had no idea how much it hurt to hear the wrong name or be called a tom. It just felt so wrong. Even more wrong than having a thick limbed, sturdy body instead of a lithe, graceful one like her own body should have been.

Still, being able to finally be fully herself around Runningpaw was a relief. Settling down, she took a bite of her fresh-kill and slipped into conversation with her friend.

* * *

Wishpaw shook out her pelt as she padded back into camp beside her mentor. Dawn border patrol was over and Wishpaw was looking forward to some rest but it seemed her mentor had other plans.

"Wolfstep, Cloudpelt," Nightpelt called. "Are Deerpaw and Tanglepaw up for some battle training?"

Wishpaw let out a sigh. _So much for resting._

Nightpelt nudged her softly. "Don't look so down. Your battlemoves are coming along great."

Wishpaw flicked her ear but didn't say anything as the other mentors and apprentices bounded over.

"You look like you just got trampled by a hoard of badgers," Tanglepaw stated at the sight of Wishpaw.

"Gee. Thanks. I didn't notice," Wishpaw said sarcastically. It was true though. She rarely groomed in the morning anymore since she had to wake up so early for dawn patrol every morning. Being in a tom's body, she could get away with forgetting about it if she was just going to go out and trample through bushes and mess her fur up again. Still, she wished she had time to groom a bit before heading out again. Her pelt felt filthy.

Thankfully Wolfstep, Tanglepaw's mentor, came to her aid. "Brokenpaw's been up since dawn serving his clan. Until you can say you did the same, you can't make fun of him."

Tanglepaw whisked her tail dismissively. Deerpaw poked a path of fur on Wishpaw's shoulder with his tail. "Even if he was patrolling, it looks like same cat dragged him backwards through a thorn bush by his tail."

Cloudpelt huffed and rolled his eyes. "Great StarClan. Apprentices! Come on, let's get to the clearing by the Burt Sycamore so you two lazy lumps of fur can get something done today!"

* * *

Wishpaw's haunches were sore as she pulled herself into yet another straining battle stance. She withheld groaning as her leg began to tremble from the effort. _I'm so tired…_

"Good job, Brokepaw," Nightpelt encouraged, his words momentarily washing away Wishpaw's tiredness and replacing it with a soft glow of pride. She smiled slightly. She loved nothing more than pleasing her mentor. _I guess I can tough it out a bit longer._ Nightpelt padded to her side and crouched down beside her, demonstrating the move. "Crouch just like that and rear up like this. You'll be able to box your opponent's ears hard enough to stun them."

Nightpelt rose onto his hindlegs and pawed the air a bit before dropping back down. His sharp eyes fell on her and he nodded, prompting her to copy him. Wishpaw swallowed and did as she was instructed, rearing back on her paws and swiping at an imaginary cat's head.

Nightpelt purred. "Good job! I think you're ready to try it out. You up for sparring with Tanglepaw or Deerpaw?"

Wishaw glanced over to where the brother and sister were wrestling under the watchful eyes of their mentors. She recognized one of the moves Tanglepaw used as one that Nightpelt had taught her a moon ago. Slowly, she looked back to her mentor and nodded.

"Great!" Nightpelt said. "Let's let these two finish then you can fight the winner once they've caught their breath."

Wishpaw was thankful for the brief break and sat down, happy to rest her weary muscles even if it was just for a few heartbeats. It was still light out but it was closer to sundown than to sunhigh and she'd been on her paws since sunrise. She was exhausted. _I don't know if I have enough energy to fight… I don't want to disappoint Nightpelt though. Besides, I'm supposed to be training. I can't just give up. If I do that in the middle of a real battle…_

Wishpaw shook out her pelt as she watched Deerpaw cuff his sister's ears. Tanglepaw rolled away and raked her sheathed claws down Deerpaw's belly. It didn't do any damage but the brown tom flinched away, giving Tanglepaw the chance to pounce on him and bite down on his ear. Deerpaw hissed and aggressively batted Tanglepaw's cheek in an effort to get her to let go.

One of his blows smacked her nose. Tanglepaw yowled in surprise and reeled back. The loss of weight pinning him was all the opportunity Deerpaw needed. He sat up and shoved the grey and brown she-cat off of him. Tanglepaw fell on her back and Deerpaw jumped on her.

The two littermates struggled a bit but it was soon clear Deerpaw was victorious. After a few heartbeats, he let his defeated sister up and lapped her ear in condolence.

"I'll get you next time," she vowed.

Deerpaw flicked his tail arrogantly. "In your dreams."

"Hey, winner winner," Nightpelt called, "you've got to fight Brokepaw if you're going to get your dinner."

"What?" Deerpaw blinked.

"Bad rhyme," Nightpelt said. "Kittypet joke I heard once. You haven't hunted today and you know the rules. Apprentices can't eat unless they've hunted. We'll let you have your evening meal if you wrap this training session up well."

Deerpaw whisked his tail excitedly and dropped into an offensive crouch. "This'll be as easy as catching a fox's tail! Come on, Brokenpaw. Let's get this over with. I'm hungry."

Wishpaw sighed and padded over to the patch of scuffed dirt where Deerpaw and Tanglepaw had been fighting. Her muscles continued to ache when she slipped into a battle stance but she ignored it and focused on the tom in front of her.

Deerpaw made the first move, launching himself at her. She leaped back and flattened her ears in annoyance. _That wasn't even a real move! That was a hunter's crouch! He's not taking me seriously!_ Wishpaw bared her teeth and reared up as he landed, batting his ears before he could follow up.

Deerpaw hissed and headbutted her belly, causing her to fall back on her back. He jumped on her again but Wishpaw kicked up with her hindpaws to knock him away before she could get pinned.

"Great move Brokenpaw!" Nightpelt called.

"Keep it up Deerpaw," Cloudpelt said. "You almost had him."

Both apprentices regained their footing and circled the training ring. Their eyes remained traced on each other, no longer underestimating the other. Wishpaw stayed where she was, knowing Deerpaw would attack sooner than later. She wasn't one to take the offensive.

As predicted, Deerpaw threw himself at her. Wishpaw blocked the swipe aimed at her face with a forepaw then turned so the next hit landed on her shoulder.

Deerpaw suddenly withdrew the paw that struck first and bashed her face with it. Wishpaw flinched back and ducked her head down to avoid being hit again. Deerpaw got onto his hind paws and tried to throw his weight down. Wishpaw found herself pinned but he managed to throw him off by going limp, forcing him to lose his balance, and snaking out from under him.

She didn't have the time to put distance between them again. Deerpaw's forepaw came down on her tail then she jumped on her back. She rolled, reversing their roles and slamming him into the ground. Deerpaw hissed and blindly lashed out upwards in an effort to get her off.

His paw connected with her cheek and a searing pain sliced through her skin. Surprised, she jumped off. She ran her paw over her cheek then lapped it. _Blood._

"You unsheathed your claws!" Wishpaw hissed.

Deerpaw got to his paws and glared. "Did not!"

"Then how am I bleeding?"

"I don't know!"

"In a real fight you wouldn't be given the chance to argue," Wolfstep barked. "Keep going."

Wishpaw curled her lip and jumped at Deerpaw, being the attacker this time. Deerpaw clashed with her and the two swiped at each other aggressively. She sensed Deerpaw starting to slow but she was too tired to take advantage of it.

Wishpaw managed to land a blow on Deerpaw's shoulder but the older tom took advantage of the opening and shot forward to ram his breast bone against her face. She hissed in pain as the hard part of his chest hit her directly in the face.

Deerpaw shoved her to the ground and pinned her. Wishpaw struggled against him but she was tired and couldn't summon the strength to push him away.

Deerpaw struck a few blows and Wishpaw turned her head to avoid being hit in the face but she could still feel the stinging.

Suddenly, she felt another kind of pain. One in her mind. She felt her blood boil with rage she immediately recognized as not her own. _Brokenpaw?_

"_I told you I wanted to fight,"_ a voice said in her mind and Wishpaw's world went dark.

* * *

In the dream realm, Hopepaw was dozing when she suddenly heard coughing. She got to her paws immediately, startled. "Brokenpaw?"

Her brother had been kind of antisocial today, even flat out ignoring her, but Hopepaw was positive she would have noticed if there was anything wrong other than his usual broodiness. The coughs sounded bad though.

Hopepaw wandered around the realm a bit. It wasn't all that big but there was the occasional tree, bus, or tall patch of grass that could be blocking her view of him. Hopepaw found him relatively quickly though. Well, not _him._

"Wishpaw!" Hopepaw cried upon seeing her sister. She looked so… weak. Her pelt had lost some of its shine and her eyes lacked their usual spark. _I didn't know we could get hurt here!_

The pale ginger tabby was lying on her flank, breathing rough. Her grey eyes blinked up at her, looking confused. "Hopepaw?"

"What happened?"

"Brokenpaw," Wishpaw murmured and put her head down on her paws. "He's in control of our body."

* * *

Nightpelt pawed the ground as he watched Brokenpaw fight. He was pinned right now under Deerpaw's form. He got to his paws and opened his mouth, ready to call the match, when the unexpected happened.

Brokenpaw seemed to get a surge of power and suddenly threw Deerpaw off of him. Deerpaw yowled as he was unbalanced and Brokenpaw lunged at him, sinking his teeth into his shoulder fur.

Nightpelt was alarmed at the sudden aggression. Of course, he knew Brokenpaw had it in him but he usually only displayed it on his bad days. He had seemed perfectly docile today, his more passive and shy side surfacing. Now, it was entirely gone and only his rage and hostility remained.

Brokenpaw pounced, landing on Deerpaw. He displayed a strength he hadn't before, now clearly the dominant power in this fight. Deerpaw hissed and tried to strike with his forepaws but Brokenpaw pinned him so perfectly that he couldn't get his limbs free. Brokenpaw bared his teeth and snarled in his face.

For the first time, Nightpelt felt a flash of fear from Brokenpaw's behavior. _Where did that quiet, kindhearted apprentice go? Where did this confidant, rage filled warrior come from?_

Nightpelt crossed halfway across the clearing with a few sharp strides. "Brokenpaw stop!"

Brokenpaw looked up at him with boiling orange eyes that seemed to pierce Nightpelt's soul and turn his blood to ice. For a few heartbeats, Nightpelt was frozen, numb and cold with fear. Then, Brokenpaw slowly withdrew himself from Deerpaw and padded away, allowing the flow of blood in his body to resume. He still felt cold though. There was no warmth in him. That warmth was left for the apprentice he had been with earlier today. Not this cat.

_How can Brokenpaw's personality change so drastically?_ Nightpelt wondered as Brokenpaw flashed his teeth at Tanglepaw. She squeaked and took a step back. Nightpelt's tail curled ever so slightly. _I know he's different from day to day but now he's… Maybe I misjudged this morning?_

Brokenpaw looked at his mentor. "Are we going to keep training?"

It took a few heartbeats for Nightpelt to realize he was supposed to respond and and another few to find his voice. "No. It will be sunset soon. It's time to head back to camp."

To his surprise, Brokenpaw looked annoyed. Angry even. Without a word, the tom turned and stalked back to camp.


	9. Names

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokenpaw, Wishpaw, or Hopepaw's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokenpaw. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokenpaw so it will say Brokenpaw but it might not be Brokenpaw. Three minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokenpaw's body in the real world.

When it is Runningpaw's POV, Runningpaw will call the cat he sees Brokenpaw until he knows which one it is and will refer to Wishpaw and Hopepaw as female due to knowing they are she-cats.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_Cats don't have names… People have names. That's because you don't know who you are. We know who we are so we don't need names."_

~ Neil Gaiman, Coraline

.

* * *

"He's dead," Yellowfang announced, feeling a wave of sadness as she lifted her head away from Cedarstar's chest. She looked to Raggedpelt who was standing at the entry of the medicine den. "I'm sorry. We did everything he could."

Raggedpelt looked shocked but still stood firmly on his paws. "He'll be fine, right? He'll go to StarClan and come back…"

Yellowfang shook her head. "This was his last life."

"Are you sure?" Raggedpelt asked, numbness in his voice. "All nine… are gone?"

Yellowfang nodded. "If there were any left, he would have woken up by now."

"So you don't actually know?" Raggedpelt questioned. "You haven't counted?"

"Cedarstar was leader when I was born. He lost many lives before I even knew him and Sagewhisker died before her time so she never told me," Yellowfang sighed. "But I'm certain this was his last life."

Raggedpelt's eyes were wide with shock and he seemed to wobble on his paws a bit. Runningpaw went to his side and pressed his flank against him, supporting him. The apprentice was still smaller than him but he had left the nursery five moons ago so his strength was enough to hold up his deputy. _Raggedpelt is ShadowClan's leader now._

"You should go tell the clan," Runningpaw murmured into his ear.

Raggedpelt swallowed. "Will you come with me?"

Runningpaw looked to Yellowfang. She nodded her chin in his direction. "He means you. I have to get Cedarstar's body ready for burial."

Runningpaw blinked in surprise but walked out of the den with his new leader to go tell the clan the news of their leader.

* * *

Yellowfang was watching the clan's elders carry Cedarstar's body out of the camp when Raggedstar approached her. "We should go."

"Now?" Yellowfang questioned. She could still smell the scent of sickness that lingered in Cedarstar's fur and the herbs that she had tried to mask it with. It was so soon after Cedarstar's death and Raggedpelt wanted to get his nine lives now?

"ShadowClan needs a leader," Raggedpelt said. Yellowfang saw the grief in his eyes and felt guilty for her brief flash of anger towards him.

Yellowfang dipped her head. "Let me tell Runningpaw and we'll head out."

* * *

Raggedpelt padded through the worn pawsteps in the stone of the Mothermouth, following the sound of Yellowfang's pawsteps to guide him through the darkness. He didn't stay in the pitch blackness for long. As the pair broke into a cave, a brilliant light filled his vision.

Raggedpelt was awestruck by the Moonstone's beauty. It was tradition for apprentices to visit the Moonstone before becoming warriors and he was just as humbled now as he had been all those moons ago. The stone glowed with moonlight, displaying StarClan's power. It made him feel very small compared to StarClan's might.

"Are you ready?" Yellowfang asked him. He nodded. "Then touch the stone."

Raggedpelt did as he was told and settled next to the stone before pressing his nose against it. When he opened his eyes, he was standing in a field. He tried to turn his head but Raggedpelt found he couldn't move. Panic filled his chest. _What's happening?_

After a few heartbeats, he could feel Yellowfang at his side. "Don't worry. You just have to lose your old life before gaining nine new ones."

Raggedpelt tried to relax but Yellowfang's words didn't do much to comfort him. He slowly felt his life ebb away until he felt like he could barely stand.

Then the StarClan cats arrived. Raggedpelt felt his heart swell in grief when Cedarstar stepped out before them. "Cedarstar…"

"Raggedpelt," Cedarstar greeted. "It's good to see you."

"I wish you were still with us," Raggedpelt murmured.

"No one lives forever," Cedarstar said. "It was my time."

Raggedpelt doubted that but he wasn't going to argue. Cedarstar was apart of StarClan now.

"It's time for you to receive your nine lives," Cedarstar told him. He fanned his tail, gesturing to the row of cats waiting behind him. Raggedpelt recognized Lizardfang, an old elder from ShadowClan who died when he was younger, and Sagewhisker, the ShadowClan medicine cat before Yellowfang, among them. Cedarstar's amber eyes met his. "Are you ready?"

Raggedpelt glanced at Yellowfang. She nodded. Raggedpelt looked back at his former leader. "I think so."

Cedarstar rested his muzzle on Raggedpelt's head. "With this life, I give you judgement. Use it well to find value in your warriors and make good choices regarding the clan."

Raggedpelt suddenly felt like the entire forest was resting on his shoulders, weighing him down. He locked his legs, making sure he didn't fall. _Is getting each life going to be this hard?_

Lizardfang stepped forward. Raggedpelt purred. The elder's pelt was shining with youth, something Raggedpelt had never seen while Lizardfang was alive.

The former elder's muzzle on his head. "With this life, I give you patience. Use it well to understand your clanmates as well as your own kin."

Raggedpelt suddenly felt very old, like his bones were going to give out any moment.

Sagewhisker stepped forward. "With this life, I give you faith in your medicine cat. Use it to work with Yellowfang and Runningpaw to keep your clan healthy and strong."

The sharp scent of herbs hit his nose and the yowls of cats filled his ears. Raggedpelt crouched, almost unable to bear the pain of the other cats.

"With this life, I give you compassion. Use it well to be tender when you need to and show mercy when it is right."

A warm feeling flooded his belly but it was a powerful rush and Raggedpelt felt like he could ride atop a wave.

"With this life, I give you a mother's love. Use it well to raise the youngest of your clanmates into strong and brave warriors."

Raggedpelt had a rush of affection and the urge to protect. The feeling was so much that he felt his throat closing up but it wasn't am emotion he never felt before. _Brokenpaw, I will be an even better father to you._

"With this life, I give you loyalty. Use it to serve your clan well and trust in your clanmates."

Raggedpelt felt a surge like lightning envelop him.

"With this life, I give you endless energy. Use it well to make difficult decisions and push yourself for the sake of you clan."

Raggedpelt's legs twitched, urging him to run all the way to the High Stones and back to camp.

"With this life, I give you acceptance. Use it well to find it in you to give up when you don't think you can."

Once again, Raggedpelt felt heavy but this time it was in his chest. It felt like a stone sinking in water.

"With this life, I give you farsightedness. Use it well to look ahead and see what others cannot."

Raggedpelt's vision flooded with color.

Finally the last cat, a faded creamy brown she-cat stepped forward. "I am Dawnstar. I was leader of ShadowClan many seasons ago. I give you a life for putting ShadowClan above all others. There are four clans in the forest, but ShadowClan will always be the greatest."

Raggedpelt felt a surge of pride echo through his body. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, enjoying the feeling of nine lives flowing through his veins. He felt invincible.

When he opened his eyes, Cedarstar was once more standing in front of him. "I hail you by your new name, Raggedstar. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the leadership of ShadowClan. Defend it well; care for the young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

"Raggedstar! Raggedstar! Raggedstar! Raggedstar!"

* * *

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the clan rock for a meeting!"

Brokenpaw looked up from his fresh-kill to see his father standing at the clanrock. He left whatever was left of his meal and padded over. Runningpaw waved his tail in greeting but Brokenpaw ignored him. Runningpaw didn't look dejected though. He just sat by his brother and sister without a word.

Brokenpaw's father's gaze swept the clan before he spoke. "I have visited the Moonstone and recieved my name and nine lives from StarClan. It is now time for me to pick a deputy."

Murmurs rippled through the clan. Even though he knew he couldn't be chosen, Brokenpaw felt a flash of desire. He gazed up at Raggedstar. _I will stand there one day._

"I say these words before StarClan, so the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve my choice," Raggedstar said to the sky. He looked down. "The new deputy of ShadowClan is Foxheart."

Murmurs rippled once more but the clan soon began chanting the new deputy's name.

"Foxheart! Foxheart! Foxheart!"

Foxheart stepped forward. "Thank you, Raggedstar. I will do my best to serve this clan."

"I'm sure you will," Raggedstar said with a dip of his head before looking to the rest of the clan once more. "There is one more thing I would like to say. One more thing I would like to do. I am proud of my clan. You are all I could have hoped for as a leader. With warriors like these, I could fight any battle! And there will be a new warrior today. Brokenpaw, step forward."

Surprise shot through Brokenpaw's body followed by a wave of satisfaction. He curled his tail and padded forward.

"Raggedstar, Brokenpaw hasn't completed his warrior assessment yet!" Nightpelt protested. "He hasn't visited the Moonstone either. We haven't even talked about it. He's only been an apprentice for five moons."

"I know a cat who is ready to be a warrior when I see one," Raggedstar told him. "I, Raggedstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Brokenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your own life?"

"I do," Brokenpaw said.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Brokenpaw, from this moment you will be known as Brokentail - but let no cat see this as a sign of weakness. You are one of the strongest cats I have ever known, and I look forward to fighting alongside you! StarClan honors your courage and your fighting skills, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

"Brokentail! Brokentail! Brokentail!"

Pride swelled in Brokentail's chest. Ever since he was a kit, he wanted to hear those words his father spoke. _I'm finally a warrior._

* * *

When Hopepaw woke, she felt a wave of anxiety. It had been a moon since she had gotten her turn in control of the shared body and she was concerned as to what might have happened while she was gone. In the dream realm, she had just watched over Wishpaw without ever seeing Brokenpaw or even speaking to Wishpaw. Her sister still looked so unwell.

Hopepaw didn't wake in her own nest which confused her. She padded out of the warriors' den and made a beeline for the medicine den. "Runningpaw?"

Runningpaw turned to glance at her. "Brokentail?"

"Brokentail?" Hopepaw questioned. "We became warriors?"

"Hopepaw?" Runningpaw questioned. "Wait, do you have a warrior name now?"

"No," Hopepaw said. "What's been happening? I haven't been in control for a moon."

"Really?" Runningpaw questioned. "That explains a lot. Come on, let's get out of camp. We have a lot to catch you up on."

Hopepaw followed Runningpaw out of camp to the Burnt Sycamore where apprentices often trained but no one was there today. Runningpaw sat at the base of the tree and waved his tail for Hopepaw to sit.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Runningpaw asked.

"Hunting patrol and going to sleep in my nest after I came back," Hopepaw told him. "Everything was normal other than Brokenpaw- er, Brokentail- being more of a badger than usual. Then he suddenly disappeared and Wishpaw was back. I haven't seen him or anyone else since."

Runningpaw frowned. "Well, I don't know how to explain that but I can tell you what's been going on. Cedarstar died a half moon ago."

"What?"

Runningpaw nodded. "He caught a sickness. It was his last life."

Hopepaw nodded slowly. "So Raggedpelt's leader now? Raggedstar?"

"Yup. He got his nine lives then named Foxheart deputy. Made a lot of gossip pass around the clan," Runningpaw said. "Apparently every cat thinks that she's your mother."

Hopepaw frowned. "I doubt it. Wouldn't some cat have noticed if she was expecting kits? Queens carry them for a pretty long time and they get pretty big."

Runningpaw shrugged. "I don't know. It was before I was born."

Hopepaw sighed. "So how did Brokentail get his warrior name? Did he pass his warrior assessment?"

"There wasn't one," Runningpaw told her. "Raggedstar said that he knew when a cat was ready. Nightpelt argued but Raggedpelt wouldn't listen."

Hopepaw frowned. She would have to talk to Nightpelt later. Or Wishpaw would, if she got a turn in control. Wishpaw was always the closest to their mentor, just as Hopepaw was closest with Runningpaw and Brokentail was closest with their father.

"Brokentail," Hopepaw murmured, twisting her back to look at her tail. Well, Brokentail's body's tail. It was still odd seeing his dark fur and muscular build rather than her own sleeker body. She never looked at Brokentail's tail much but she knew that was his namesake. It looked like a broken branch. "Does that make me Hopetail now? And Wishpaw Wishtail?"

Runningpaw frowned. "I don't think so. Raggedstar gave your brother that name, only asked StarClan to recognize him."

Hopepaw felt emotion strike in her chest. "Does that mean… Does that mean I'll never be a warrior?"

"Of course not!" Runningpaw protested.

"Well, I can't just pick my own name, can I?" Hopepaw questioned. "Without a leader to give the ceremony, StarClan will never acknowledge me. We can't exactly tell Raggedstar…"

"I'll do it," Runningpaw said.

Hopepaw blinked. "What?"

"I'll do it," Runningpaw said. "I'll perform your warrior ceremony."

Gratefulness and affection flooded under Hopepaw's pelt but she forced it down. "Won't that make StarClan angry?"

"I would fight StarClan for you," Runningpaw vowed. "You're my best friend, Hopepaw."

Hopepaw's fur flushed and she purred. "Thank you Runningpaw. You mean just as much to me."

Runningpaw squeaked in embarrassment. "And Wishpaw too, of course," he added quickly. "I'll give her a warrior name too."

The heat flowed up to her ears and Hopepaw fought the urge to duck her head. "Of course! Yeah, give her a name first."

"Alright, alright. Give me a moment," Runningpaw said, getting to his paws. He cleared his throat. "I, Runningpaw, medicine cat apprentice of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice who has been forsaken the opportunity to be here herself. She has trained hard to understand the way of your noble code and I commend her as a warrior in her turn. Wishpaw who is not here, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your own life?"

"She does," Hopepaw said.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you warrior name. Wishpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Wishvine. StarClan honors your patience and desire to heal others and I welcome you as a warrior of ShadowClan."

"Wishvine! Wishvine! Wishvine!" Hopepaw yowled. She paused. "Wait, warriors are supposed to sit their silent vigil right after their ceremony."

"You're not Wishvine so I think it's fine," Runningpaw told her. "Besides, Brokentail already did his and the three of you spend a ton of time just sitting around when someone else is in control. Just do it later."

"Oh. Alright. So… My turn?"

Runningpaw nodded. "I, Runningpaw, medicine cat apprentice of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice who has been forsaken the opportunity to receive her name from our leader. She has trained hard to understand the way of your noble code and I commend her as a warrior in her turn. Hopepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your own life?"

"I do," Hopepaw said.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you warrior name. Hopepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Hopeheart. StarClan honors your loyalty and endless brightness and I welcome you as a warrior of ShadowClan."

Hopeheart purred as Runningpaw rested his muzzle on her head and she licked his shoulder fur.

"Um… Hopeheart! Hopeheart Hopeheart!"

Hopeheart chuckled. "That wasn't awkward at all."

Runningpaw rolled his eyes at her sarcastic tone. "You try doing that with only one cat who's supposed to be here actually here!"

* * *

Nightpelt was grooming when he saw Brokentail approaching. Immediately, he recognized that it wasn't the Brokentail he was used to seeing for the past moon, the bold and aggressive one. No, this was the happy Brokentail who loved hunting with him.

Nightpelt had noticed three very distinct personalities in his former apprentice. He had asked Clawface about it and even his good friends Yellowfang and Cloudpelt but all three had brushed him off, saying it was his imagination. Right now, in this moment, he knew it wasn't. In his heart, he knew it was an entirely different cat standing in front of him.

He didn't voice his thoughts though. He longed to ask this cat where she had been and where the third cat was. Yes, she. Nightpelt could see so clearly that this cat and the cat who had started off fighting Deerpaw just before Brokentail's aggressive personality for the next moon were she-cats. And he found that he cared for these two cat dearly. The one before him was like a daughter and the third… Unlike any cat he had ever met.

There was the angry warrior, the loyal hunter, and the kind healer. It had taken a moon of only seeing the angry warrior to realize that Brokentail was truly broken. He was three cats.

He didn't understand it. He didn't ask about it. He just wanted to know that everything was alright. That was what he asked. "Are you okay?"

Not-Brokentail, the loyal hunter, blinked in surprise. "Yeah… I think so. How are you?"

"I…" Nightpelt trailed off. "I'm worried. About you."

The loyal hunter dipped her head but didn't hang it. "You don't think I'm ready to be a warrior."

"It's not that…" Nightpelt started. "Well…"

"I want you to keep training me," the loyal hunter said. "Wake me up each morning at dawn for patrol. Even if I hiss and try to claw you, ignore that. Train me. I don't have whatever quality Raggedstar sees in me. I haven't finished my training, Nightpelt, and I want you to finish it."

Nightpelt smiled. "I'll do my best. I'll see you at dawn."


	10. Lost

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokentail, Wishvine, or Hopeheart's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokentail. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokentail so it will say Brokentail but it might not be Brokentail. Three minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokentail's body in the real world.

When it is Runningpaw's POV, Runningpaw will call the cat he sees Brokentail until he knows which one it is and will refer to Wishvine and Hopeheart as female due to knowing they are she-cats.

Nightpelt knows that Brokentail is three cats and knows that two of them are she-cats but he does not know their names. He will refer to Brokentail as Brokentail or the angry warrior, to Hopeheart as the loyal hunter, and to Wishvine as the kind healer. He will refer to the cat as Brokentail until he knows who he is speaking to. He will verbally call the cat Brokentail.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_The surge of clarity that comes right before the end…"_

~M'rynn J'onzz, Supergirl 3x22

.

* * *

One morning when Nightpelt padded up to his former apprentice's nest to wake him up for dawn patrol, he noticed something was different. The angry warrior was not there today nor was the kind hunter. His heart soared when he recognized the kind healer.

"Nightpelt?" the she-cat murmured as her orange eyes fell upon him. Nightpelt's heart suddenly sank when he heard her voice. She sounded unwell.

"Get some rest," Nightpelt told her gently. "We can go out later. Maybe we can go look for herbs for Yellowfang and Runningpaw? Yellowfang told me they were low on burdock and garlic."

"Was there a rat attack?" the kind healer asked, confirming Nightpelt's suspicions. This was a different cat. Brokentail had been on the patrol attacked by rats. He knew more about it than other cats. There was no way he could forget just because he was tired.

"Yes," Nightpelt told her. He knew he should be concerned, it definitely wasn't normal for this to be happening, but he wasn't. Instead, warmth flooded his chest and he licked his former apprentice's head affectionately. "Now get some rest or we won't be able to go out later."

"Alright," the she-cat murmured and lay her head back down. Nightpelt pressed his muzzle into the back of her neck. _She smells fine but she's clearly sick… Does this have anything to do with the angry warrior being around so much?_ Worry flashed in his chest. _Will she disappear forever?_

* * *

Wishvine's mind was clouded and her muscles felt heavy but she wasn't about to pass up a chance to go herb hunting with her mentor. Or former mentor. Turns out she became a warrior.

The poor, sickly feelings went away as she and Nightpelt hit the pine forest, the fresh air filling her nostrils and making her purr. She and Nightpelt ran around a bit, messing around, enjoying each other's company, and stretching any stiff muscles they had. Wishvine felt a happiness that she hadn't before. Brokentail was always ruining things for her. She wasn't able to follow her dreams of being a medicine cat but right now her brother couldn't tell her not to spend time herb hunting or with her former mentor.

Somehow, in the back of her mind, Wishvine just knew it was all going to come crashing down. She wanted to savor this while it lasted.

Once they ran out of breath from running around, Nightpelt and Wishvine slowed to a walk.

"So do you know what burdock or garlic smells like?" Nightpelt asked as they neared the border of ShadowClan territory.

Wishvine nodded. "Yeah. We'll probably have to look around here, near the border, if Yellowfang and Runningpaw's supplies are as low as they are. They've probably collected all they could."

Nightpelt nodded. "That rat attack was pretty bad. All the apprentices' training was cut off for awhile so they could go herb hunting."

Wishvine drifted off the path, smelling something. She pawed the ground a bit, unearthing some burdock. She purred and leaned down to nip the herb off its base.

"That attack was pretty bad," Nightpelt went on. "I heard the patrol got surrounded. They couldn't do a thing with so many around. I never thought rats could be so dangerous."

Wishvine suddenly felt a pain in her head and she flinched. Nightpelt was suddenly at her side, blinking in concern. Her mind whirled and a wave of dizziness flooded her body, feeling heavy like a blanket of damp fog over a lake.

"Are you okay?"

Wishvine opened her mouth to respond but black spots began to fill her vision and her legs suddenly buckled, giving out under an invisible force. The black spots expanded, darkness consuming her vision.

* * *

One moment the cat beside him was purring and running around without a care in the world and the next she was on the forest floor. Nightpelt went to her side in alarm. "Are you okay?"

Suddenly, the cat jerked and got to his paws roughly. Nightpelt was suddenly aware that this new cat wasn't the one he had spent the morning with.

The tom walked over the burdock roots, not caring that they snapped under his weight, and began padding back to camp. Nightpelt blinked in surprise, not used to being blatantly ignored and certainly not used to watching a cat destroy precious healing herbs without a care in the world. "Brokentail, wait! Where are you going?"

"I need to talk to Raggedstar," Brokentail said, voice like claws against ice. "I know how to take out the rats."

"We don't need to fight them," Nightpelt protested. "They're just rats. They stay in the carrionplace. They won't leave their territory."

"We can't let this loss to _rats_ go unavenged," Brokentail growled and stalked towards camp. "Bleeding hearts who want to heal and keep peace are cowards. As long as I'm in ShadowClan, we won't have mice for warriors."

Nightpelt swallowed and stopped walking, watching the angry warrior pad away. _She's gone..._

* * *

"Brokentail!" Runningpaw called, anger ebbing into his voice as he stalked across camp. The tom looked up from his paws at the sound of the apprentice's voice. Runningpaw immediately realized he said the wrong name. "Hopeheart."

"Not so loud!" Hopeheart hissed under her breath, ducking her head as her eyes darted around nervously. "What is it?"

"I was going to try to talk Brokentail out of this plan he's got up but I'm happier you're here," Runningpaw said more quietly as he sat beside her. "What's going through Brokentail's head?"

"I don't know! Something's wrong," Hopeheart said hurriedly. "I was gone for almost a quarter-moon. I didn't see anyone, not even Wishvine. When I got back, Nightpelt seemed really sad and the rest of the clan was acting like I was a StarClan cat fallen from Silverpelt. They keep telling me how good of a warrior I am- er, Brokentail is- and asking me if they can come on some patrol. I have no idea what they're talking about so I kept saying yes and now I think I didn something I shouldn't have!"

This scene was becoming familiar. Runningpaw could think of more than one occasion where Brokentail had taken over for a longer period of time than usual, leaving Hopeheart panicking. Runningpaw lapped her shoulder fur comfortingly. "Calm down. You remember that there was a patrol attacked by rats?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Brokentail came up with some plan to take them down," Runningpaw said. "And… Well, that's it, I think."

"Oh." Hopeheart paused. "But… Why…?"

Runningpaw shrugged. "I'm not really sure. The rats in the carrionplace are something that we're always going to have a problem with but it's not like they ever leave. ShadowClan will be fine if we just leave it alone but Brokentail's got this idea in his head that we need to take them out."

"Is that even possible?" Hopeheart asked. "It's been awhile since I last went there but I remember there being more rats there than a cat could eat in a lifetime. Not that we should eat them. Those things are nasty."

Runningpaw sighed. "I don't know. I actually came over here to ask him about it."

"Oh. I can… take a nap and see if he comes back?"

"Don't," Runningpaw said, resting his forehead on her shoulder. "It's been awhile since I've seen you. I miss you."

Hopeheart started to purr but both cats' eyes fell on an elder sitting in front of the elder's den gave them an odd look. Runningpaw withdrew his head and ducked his head in embarrassment. _What am I doing?_

Hopeheart coughed awkwardly and shook out her pelt. "So, um, do you want to take a walk?"

* * *

Hopeheart padded through the forest with Runningpaw, enjoying her friend's company. She let her strides slip into more relaxed ones. Out here in the forest without the rest of her clanmates, Hopeheart truly felt like she could be herself rather than Brokentail. Being with Runningpaw made it all the better.

Of course, it was nice to be with her former mentor too. Hopeheart realized she had never been out of camp with just the two of them. She was about to be surprised. Runningpaw and Hopeheart wandered through the forest until they met the thin stream that ran through it. On the riverside sat Nightpelt, black fur standing out against the browns and greens of the pine forest.

The tom didn't seem to notice their approach. His gaze was locked on a stone protruding from the surface of the water. Hopeheart and Runningpaw exchanged a glance before shrugging and padding over.

"Nightpelt?" Runningpaw said. Nightpelt jumped slightly at the sound of his name and turned around. He relaxed a bit when he saw Runningpaw and Hopeheart and waved his tail. Runningpaw took this as the cue to pad forward. "Are you alright? You seen kind of sad."

"I… I'm fine," Nightpelt said.

"Are you sure?" Hopeheart pressed. "You seemed distracted all morning."

"A… friend of mine is gone," Nightpelt said slowly.

Hopeheart tilted her head. No one in the clan was missing and she couldn't recall if Nightpelt had any friends in the other clans. _Maybe he's friends with a kittypet or a loner who hangs around the border. _"Who?"

"You know her," Nightpelt said, looking back to the river. "You both do. I think you're the only cats who do. Well, except for Brokentail."

Hopeheart stiffened. She felt her mouth go dry and her blood suddenly ran cold in her chest and limbs. _… What did he just say? He said Brokentail and I know… Oh StarClan, does he knows that…?_

Nightpelt suddenly got to his paws and padded away without a word. Hopeheart, wide eyed, sat down heavily and stared at the river in shock. The panicked stream of thoughts came to a sudden halt, leaving her mind blank.

"What… He just… Does Nightpelt…?" Runningpaw fumbled with his words. He turned to face her. "Did you tell him?"

Hopeheart broke her gaze away from the river and shook her head.

"He mentioned you and Brokentail and a cat only we know is gone," Runningpaw said thoughtfully. "Do you think Wishvine… y'know, told him before she... Is she gone?"

Hopeheart let out a ragged breath and sank forward so her belly was pressed against the cool, damp earth beside the water. "I don't know. She seemed so… unwell in our dream world and then she just disappeared. Brokentail's been spending more and more time walking in ShadowClan instead of the dream realm so maybe..."

"Is it even possible?" Runningpaw asked. "Could Brokentail have… I don't know, absorbed her? Taken over in her place? Killed her?"

"I don't know," Hopeheart whispered. She looked up at him. "You're a medicine cat. Do you think my sister's okay? Can you do anything to help her?"

Runningpaw sighed and laid down to press his flank against hers. He licked her ear comfortingly. "I don't think so. Only StarClan can heal spiritual wounds but I can ask next time I go to the Moonstone."

"Thank you," Hopeheart breathed and pressed her face against his shoulder. She felt Runningpaw tense slightly but he didn't pull away and he relaxed after a moment.

"Do you think…" he started, "that maybe… Brokentail will get full control?"

Hopeheart withdrew. "I… I don't know what happens when we die. I thought about it once… When we were kits, just before we shared fresh-kill for the first time, I wondered if it would really be so bad if I just starved. Then I realized that if I died in our body, Brokentail and Wishvine wouldn't have anywhere to go."

Runningpaw began licking the fur between her shoulder and neck comfortingly. "Do you still think like that?"

"No," Hopeheart said quickly. "I'm… I'm doing pretty well right now. But I'm a warrior and it's possible I could die in battle or get hit by a monster or something. If it happened in Brokentail's body, I don't know if all three of us would die or if only one of us would and it would be like a leader's nine lives. I've never thought about what would happen if our spirits died. Wishvine was in control then Brokentail took over and she became unwell. I think… Maybe he killed… I think he killed her."

Runningpaw stopped the soothing laps and rested his head on her shoulder. "I think so too. Hopeheart, you might-"

"No," Hopeheart said, getting to her paws. She stood over him, her orange eyes boring into him. _Brokentail's eyes_, she thought. The sound of her brother's name had a bitter tone in her mind, almost like a curse. "I'm not going to die. I can't. You and Nightpelt… I want to stay with you."

"And Brokentail lives to serve his father and the clan," Runningpaw pointed out. "Who's will is stronger? Yours or Brokentail's?"

"Mine," Hopeheart insisted, voice shaking. "Nightpelt… He's my mentor and my friend. He… He's grieving Wishvine. We didn't even tell him but he knows us well enough to know we're different cats and he cares about us all separately. That... He's... I'm important to him. If I died… I don't know how he'd handle it. And you… Runningpaw, you're my best friend and so much more. I don't know what I'd do without you. If I died…. I don't even know if I would go to StarClan. We might not ever see each other again. I might not even see Wishvine. I- I- I…. I don't want to be alone."

Runningpaw rose and leaned against her. Hopeheart realized she was tense and her shoulder fur was standing with fear. Runningpaw ran his muzzle over it, taming it slightly. Hopeheart relaxed at his touch.

Runningpaw stepped back, rheumy eyes meeting hers. "You'll never be alone. Even if you're gone, I'll remember you. I'll keep you alive in my heart."

"Even stars die."

"You're brighter than any star," Runningpaw told her firmly, placing a paw on top of her. "Your mother, whoever she is, chose right when she chose your name and I made no mistake when I performed you're warrior ceremony. Your spirit is full of hope and the passion in your heart is stronger than any cat I've met. You'll be able to survive Brokentail."

* * *

Runningpaw stood by the camp entrance with Yellowfang at his side, both of their jaws filled to the brim with garlic and burdock as well as cobwebs. Yellowfang set them down by their paws to shoot Brokentail a distasteful glance.

This morning, Brokentail had woken the camp at dawn to announce that he was taking a patrol to give the carrionplace rats some pay back. Warriors rushed out of their nests, yowling support, but both Yellowfang and Runningpaw weren't quite as enthusiastic. To both of them, this attack seemed kind of pointless.

Runningpaw didn't quite understand Brokentail's plan but to him it sounded like the patrol was planning on separating a group of the rats from the rest and picking them off. Brokentail was confidant but Raggedstar insisted that the clan's two medicine cats come with them.

Yellowfang let out a long breath and raked her claws through the ground. "This is a mistake."

Runningpaw put the herbs down and sighed in agreement. "I know. It's too late though. The whole clan supports Brokentail's plan. No cat can convince him otherwise."

"You're his friend," Yellowfang started but Runningpaw cut her off with a shake of his head.

"He has his moments. When he's like this, he won't listen to a word I say," Runningpaw said, voice unwavering. He hung his head slightly. _I'm Hopeheart's best friend and I got along with Wishvine just fine. Why's Brokentail different?_

Yellowfang seemed to get the idea that Runningpaw wanted her to drop it so she didn't ask anymore questions. Her gaze shifted over the ShadowClan warriors gathered by the camp's entrance until her eyes fell on Brokentail.

The tabby tom was talking to Rowanstar and Foxheart. Foxheart looked annoyed, likely because she wasn't in charge of the patrol despite being the deputy. Rowanstar, however, looked as proud as a pigeon. Runningpaw's eyes flickered between the leader, deputy, and warrior. _I can't believe any cat ever thought Foxheart was Brokentail's mother._

Runningpaw looked back over his shoulder at Yellowfang. _I wonder what she's thinking about?_ The she-cat's eyes seemed to harden and soften at the sight of the three cats. The thought to question it began stirring in his mind but it vanished before it could form when Brokentail turned to the patrol. "Everyone, let's head out!"

The patrol consisted of Foxheart, Wolfstep and his apprentice Tanglepaw, Amberleaf, Mudclaw, Toadskip, Featherstorm, Nutwhisker, and Finchflight. Including Brokentail and the medicine cats, that was almost half the clan. Realizing this, Runningpaw's mind whirled with bewilderment. _They're just rats. We don't need this many cats._

The patrol padded through the pine forest. Runningpaw could feel the other cats' excitement in the air. It made the young tom frown. _How many bees do my clanmates have in their brains? I can't believe they're following Brokentail like this. Not even a season cycle ago, no one would share their fresh-kill with him._

Runningpaw knew he should be happy his friend was so supported and respected in the clan after all these moons but there was a feeling brooding in his belly that prevented him from feeling that way. Brokentail wasn't exactly his friend. Sure, Runningpaw got along with him better than most cats did but that was only because of Hopeheart and Wishvine's presence drawing the two toms' lives closer together. Runningpaw couldn't remember the last time he'd spoken to Brokentail since the younger tom became a warrior.

The scent of pine and earth slowly began to turn into the stench of the carrionplace, the domain of the rats and twoleg waste. Runningpaw was carrying herbs in his mouth and the bitterness overpowered the smell a bit but it still made him wrinkle his nose. He hated coming over here. He didn't understand why his clanmates bothered. With twolegs in the area, it wasn't like they could use the territory for much of anything.

The patrol stopped just as the carrionplace came into view. Brokentail turned around to face the patrol. "Foxheart, take Wolfstep, Tanglepaw, Mudclaw, Featherstorm, and Runningpaw. Amberleaf, Toadskip, Nutwhisker, Finchflight, and Yellowganf, come with me. We'll take this side while Foxheart's group loops around and attacks from the other side. We'll drive the rats so they're trapped between all of us before we go in for the kill. We're going to give those crow-food eaters what they deserve."

The cats gave quiet yowls of support and split. Runningpaw exchanged one last glance with Yellowfang, neither able to speak thanks to the herbs they were carrying, before following each of their assigned patrol leaders.

The cats stopped at the edge of the clearing just before where the forest broke into barren ground and crouched down. Foxheart didn't say anything to the group but approached Runningpaw to quietly whisper orders into his ear.

"Stay back from the fighting," she told him. "Find a place to hide until the battle is over."

"But-" Runningpaw began to protest but Foxheart quieted him with a sharp look. Runningpaw swallowed and nodded silently. Foxheart dipped her head to him and padded back to face the carrionplace. Around them, their clanmates' pelts bristled with anticipation. Foxheart crouched down and leveled her tail. Runningpaw could see the muscles in it tensed under her ginger fur, ready to move. Actually, her whole body was tight with tension. All the warriors were. Runningpaw became very aware of how much his posture differed from the others. _But that's a warrior for you. Always ready to leap into battle, never stopping to calm down and think._

The thought came with fondness but it made him frown. For a few heartbeats, he contemplated what clanlife had become. It couldn't have been natural for cats to live such violent life. Battle wasn't in their nature. _Or is it?_

Runningpaw saw Foxheart's haunches bunch. She lifted her tail, signaling to her patrol to move forward. The cats leaped forward, pushing off the ground to launch themselves. They sprinted towards the carrionplace, thrill gleaming in their eyes as their tails flowed behind them and their ears flattened against their heads as they broke into a steady sprint.

Runningpaw trailed after them but didn't join them. He glanced across the clearing and saw that Brokentail's patrol was doing the same thing. Briefly, his eyes locked with Yellowfang's. Neither cat's expression gave much away but it was like they silently told the other to be safe. Runningpaw trotted after the cats a bit and ducked under the safety of a bush in the clearing that Brokentail planned for the fighting to be in. He set down his herbs and waited.

Loud squeals and shrieks filled Runningpaw's ears. He flattened his ears against his head in terror and dug his claws into the ground. His instincts kicked in and he braced himself, ready to defend if any attackers came his way but none did. Rats flooded into the clearing like hairy leaves caught in a strong breeze. On either side, ShadowClan cats flanked them, snarling viciously.

Runningpaw got to his paws, ready to run in but Foxheart's voice stopped him again. "No, Runningpaw. Stay back. Let the warriors do our job then you can do yours."

Runningpaw sat back on his haunches reluctantly and stayed out of the action. Across the clearing, he saw Yellowfang do the same.

The apprentice shifted his gaze back to the rest of his clanmates. The last of them streamed back into the clearing, herding rats. The warriors circled the clearing, trapping the rats between them. The rats had long since stopped moving. Now they stood in one large cluster, focused on the cats. If Runningpaw didn't know any better, he'd say their eyes were calculating.

"Attack!" Brokentail yowled. "Kill them all! ShadowClan will eat well tonight!"

_...Are we going to eat the rats?_ Runningpaw thought Brokentail knew better than that. The rats here carried the carrionplace disease. ShadowClan only ever risked eating it during particularly harsh leaf-bares. ShadowClan was doing fine right now. There was no need to eat them. _Maybe he just means symbolically? He seemed upset that prey was harassing the hunter. That was why he was so insistent on attacking the carrionplace in the first place._

The warriors moved in. They still kept their formation, keeping any rats from escaping, but the ring shrunk as the ShadowClan cats went for the kill. Runningpaw saw Tanglepaw pounce on a rat straggling near the edge of the group and neatly crush its neck in her teeth. Beside her, her mentor Wolfstep pinned two rats, one under each paw, and killed them swiftly.

The cats began killing them faster, making the mass of rats in the center press closer until the rats were piling on top of each other. It was kind of disgusting but for a heartbeat, Runningpaw felt pity. This wasn't hunting. This was slaughter.

His pity was misplaced and he immediately regretted it. Runningpaw realized that he hadn't actually seen how many rats the patrol had driven into the clearing. With them all in one dark, hairy mass in the middle of the clearing like this, it wasn't easy to tell how many there truly were but there were enough that Runningpaw began doubting the warriors' ability to take them out.

Runningpaw rose to his paws and his mouth opened but no words came out. Once again, his eyes briefly mt Yellowfang's. She didn't look nearly as terrified as he felt but she definitely wasn't as calm as she had been before.

Runningpaw looked back to his clanmates. He wanted to call out a warning but his mouth went dry before he found the words. _That pile of rats… It looks like it's getting bigger._

Suddenly, the tower of rats exploded.

Well, not actually but rats were flying everywhere.

It was kind of terrifying.

_Did they… Did they _climb _on top of each other?_ Runningpaw was too shocked to react. He'd never seen prey do anything like that before. He flattened his ears against his head and dug his claws into the ground as he watched with wide eyes.

The pile of rats hadn't grown very tall but somehow the rats ended up in the air and were jumping on the cats backs. Some of the rats fled back towards the carrionplace to hide in the piles of twoleg things while some of them hissed and shrieked as they bit and clawed at the cats.

Runningpaw winced when he saw a particularly large rat land on his sister's back. He and Tanglepaw were almost full grown cats but they were still smaller than the average warrior and the rat was at least half as big as she was. Tanglepaw yowled and thrashed back, trying to shake the rat off her back to no avail.

Runningpaw was ready to run in and tear that thing off his sister but Wolfstep came to her aid before he could even step out from under the safety of the bush. One of his paws left the ground and struck the rat's flank hard, the blow's force knocking it clean off his apprentice. To Tanglepaw's credit, she didn't hesitate to leap on the creature once she was free from it and claw it's belly open, splattering blood on the forest floor.

Speaking of blood, the scent of it was in the air but Runningpaw couldn't identify if any cat was particularly injured. They were all moving around too much. That changed after a few heartbeats.

An ear splitting yowl sliced through the air. For a few panicked moments, Runningpaw's eyes scanned the battlefield. _Whoisitwhoisitwhoisit…_ He could feel his blood pumping in his body and his heart pounding against his chest. _Oh StarClan, please help my clanmates. I don't know if I can._

Runningpaw knew he was panicking once he realized he could hear his blood roar in his ears and his breath become short. He forced himself to take a few slower, deeper breaths before refocusing and searching the clearing for whoever needed help. When he did, he almost wished he hadn't.

On the side of the clearing closest to the carrionplace, Foxheart crouched, leaning forward on her forepaws. Initially, Runningpaw didn't realize what was happening. He could only see that her eyes were ablaze with panic and fear. Then he saw the blood.

It was gushing from a wound on her neck. It was a long, deep gash. It looked almost too big to come from a rat. Runningpaw's eyes frantically looked around her, looking for a way in or anything that could help her. Brokentai was about a tail length away from her, finishing off a rat with a blow to the spine.

"Brokentail!" Runningpaw yowled. If he was thinking more clearly, he would've hated his voice. He sounded pathetic, weak. Desperate. Broken even. The sight of Foxheart's blood spilling onto the forest floor, staining the earth, made him queasy and his stomach churn unpleasantly. He was a medicine cat. He was supposed to be strong for his clanmates at times like these but instead he was panicking. _I don't know if I can…_ He shook those thoughts from his head and tried to steady his breathing before trying again. "You have to help her! Put your paws on the wound. Stop the bleeding!"

Brokentail paused and looked up at the sound of his name. He blinked at Runningpaw for a heartbeat before glancing a Foxheart. Even from a distance, Runningpaw could see countless emotions in his eyes.

The last thing Runningpaw expected was for Brokentail to turn away.

For some reason, that lone, simple action felt like a cat was raking his claws across his chest, piercing his heart and tearing whatever was keeping him together. It was like the world was shattering around him. The blood roaring in his ears surged and his vision became tunneled. The clearing was blurry. The trees, the earth, his clanmates, the rats, Foxheart... It was all blurry. Disoriented. Almost like the fuzzy parts of a dream that he couldn't remember in the morning. It was all as unclear as a reflection in dirty thunderpath water. Except for Brokentail. He stood out stronger than a raging fire in an oak forest.

The tabby tom's back was to him. Runningpaw could see his crooked tail raised in the air and out of reach of any rat who thought it'd try to get lucky and take a bite from it. Brokentail's claws were deep in the flesh of two rats when Runningpaw's vision focused on him. He reared back and sheathed his claws, returning them to his blood stained paws, and turned to lunge at another pair of rats.

_Why is he turning away?_ The through echoed in the silent noise of Runningpaw's mind. Brokentail was getting further from Foxheart. He knew it but he couldn't quite grasp the idea. _Why is he abandoning her?_

Runningpaw suddenly felt cold and very, very small.

_If he can leave his deputy to die, he could end his sisters. I hope Wishvine-_

"Runningpaw!"

Yellowfang's voice snapped him out of his thoughts but not his horror. It was enough for him to pull himself together though. Shaking out his pelt to hide his trembling paws, he grabbed the herbs he had and darted recklessly into the battlefield.

His sense of sight was still unfocused. A rat flew at him but he didn't even see it until Amberleaf swatted out of the air and slammed it down on the ground. He didn't even hear her warning to be careful or the rat's squeal as its life came to an end. His mind was still a haze. He could only focus on getting to Foxheart. He had to.

When he reached the deputy's side, Foxheart was lying on her flank and Yellowfang was already there. Her paws were pressed against the she-cat's throat, blood already seeping through them.

"Cobwebs!" Yellowfang snapped. Her voice pierced his ears and it took a moment for his mind to process what she was saying. Quickly setting his herbs down, he found the cobwebs and moved to Foxheart's side.

Runningpaw could feel tension gathering in his forehead as his concentration finally set in. He was a medicine cat. He had to heal. He had to _save_ her. _Please don't die…_

Yellowfang moved aside. For a moment, Runningpaw's panic peaked. _She's letting me do this?_ Then a cool calm seeped past the chaos and a wave of serenity set in. The blizzard of thoughts and emotions whirling in his mind came to an abrupt stop as his newfound focus set in, penetrating it. His mind became very clear, clearer than the sky on a green-leaf day. _I can do this._

Runningpaw's breath became regularly as he webbed the cobweb in his paws and pressed it against Foxheart's throat. The she-cat's eyes were wide and wild with panic but her gaze seemed to relax at the sight of him. He briefly let his eyes meet hers. The emotion in them nearly made him fall over. _Her eyes… She's so trusting. She…._ Runningpaw swallowed and looked away. Beneath his paws, blood was seeping through the dressing. _She's going to die. This wound is too deep. I can't close it before she loses too much blood._

Runningpaw's eyes met hers again. That trust was still there. _A warrior will always trust her medicine cat…_ Runningpaw forced a reassuring smile onto his face. _The least I can do is make the journey to StarClan easier._

"You're going to be okay," he whispered. "The pain is going to stop and you'll be all better. Wolfstep will take you back to camp and you two will share a vole as your victory feast. That's your favorite, right? You've served your clan well, Foxheart. We'll remember everything you did forever. What you did today was honorable."

Runningpaw felt a rumble under his paws that could've been a purr or a last jerk of life. He would have liked to think it was a purr that couldn't quite form in an exposed throat.

Foxheart's eyes relaxed a bit but stayed locked on him. Then, the light in them died and her body went limp under his paws.

Runningpaw couldn't breath for a moment. When he did, it came out as one long ragged breath. Yellowfang came to his side, putting a tail tip on his shoulder. For a moment, the world was just mentor, apprentice, and warrior.

A yowl called them back to reality.

"ShadowClan has won!" Brokentail declared. Runningpaw whipped around. He'd been so absorbed in helping Foxheart that he had forgotten his clanmates were still fighting.

Dead rats were scattered across the clearing but Runningpaw couldn't see them. His vision was tunneling on Brokentail again. This time, however, it wasn't in panic or despair. No, this time the emotion was a strong, firm one. Burning in his chest and paws, fueling each powerful pawstep he took, pure anger consumed him.

Brokentail stood in the center of the clearing, head still thrown back to face the sky after his yowl. His eyes gleamed with the thrill of battle and the satisfaction of victory. As Runningpaw stalked near, Brokentail turned and his attention was on him. He looked confused for a moment, almost as if he could hear Runningpaw's blood boiling.

"You abandon her!" Runningpaw roared, voice echoing through the forest and carrionplace. All his clanmates turned to face him but he didn't care. He took a few shot, sharp steps forward so his muzzle was in Brokentail's face. "You- You- You just left her! What kind of clanmates does that?"

"Foxheart?" Wolfstep's mew was quiet. He sounded even more broken than Runningpaw had felt when Brokentail turned away. The rage had stitched him back together but the pain seared fresh in his heart. He could only imagine what Wolfstep was feeling. "Foxheart!"

The tom wailed like a kit as he raced across the clearing, crossing it in a few short steps. He threw himself beside his sister and begged her to wake up. Tanglepaw's eyes were wide with horror as her mentor buried his face into his sister's fur, letting out choked sobs once he realized she would never get up.

The other cats gathered around and lowered their heads in mourning but they let Wolfstep have his last moments with his sister. After awhile, the sobs died down and he grieved in silence. When he lifted his head, his sharp eyes were livid.

"What do you mean he abandon her?" Wolfstep asked hoarsely.

"He was standing right next to her," Runningpaw said, jabbing his tail in Brokentail's direction. "I asked him to help her. And he turned away."

Wolfstep's hackles rose. His gaze was level, glowering at Brokentail. "You… left her?"

"I had to," Brokentail responded simply.

"You left her!" Wolfstep shouted, howling like his namesake. "You abandon your deputy! Your clanmate! How could you do that?"

"It is my duty to serve my clan," Brokentail said coolly.

"You left her," Wolfstep emphasized, lashing his tail. "You call yourself a ShadowClan cat and _you left her_."

"We were in battle!" Brokentail snapped, finally showing emotion. "I couldn't just stop fighting! I didn't think a rat could leave a wound that deep!"

"Well you thought wrong!"

"Let's all calm down," Featherstorm said, stepping between the two. Her gaze fell on the fallen ginger she-cat, eyes hollow. "We… We need to tell Raggedstar."

Brokentail nodded and began to pad in the direction of camp. "He will be happy to hear of this victory."

"Victory?" Runningpaw seethed. He lashed his tail wildly, gesturing to the fallen deputy and the broken brother beside her. "You call this a victory?"

"Don't. Just don't," Brokentail told him, looking away. "We did what we set out to do. Foxheart's sacrifice wasn't in vain."

Runningpaw opened his mouth to argue but Yellowfang's tail had found its way to his shoulder, drawing him back. Runningpaw turned back to Foxheart, grief welling up at the sight of her. He was back at her side in a few quick strides, crouched beside her brother. He shoved his muzzle into her fur. _Foxheart… May you find peace in StarClan. If you see Wishvine… Tell her I'm sorry I couldn't save either of you._

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."


	11. Fidelity

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokentail or Hopeheart's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokentail. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokentail so it will say Brokentail but it might not be Brokentail. Two minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokentail's body in the real world.

When it is Runningpaw's POV, Runningpaw will call the cat he sees Brokentail until he knows which one it is and will refer to Hopeheart as female due to knowing she is a she-cat.

Nightpelt knows that Brokentail is three cats and knows that two of them are she-cats but he does not know their names. He will verbally call the cat Brokentail.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."_

~ Elenor Roosevelt

.

* * *

"You seem down," Clawface commented as he flopped down on the ground beside his brother. Nightpelt lifted his head from his paws briefly to look at Clawface before putting it back down and letting out a sigh. "Don't tell me you're upset about not getting picked for the patrol."

"It's not that," Nightpelt said. Hearing his voice, a wave of loathing washed over him. It surprised him, he never felt like this before, but it made his belly burn. _She wasn't even a real cat,_ he told himself. _You don't even know her name. She never told you she was your friend. This is all in your head._

"What then?" Clawface pressed. "It's not like you to be so down."

Nightpeplt opened his mouth but it immediately went dry. _Should I tell him? He's my brother… But he'll probably think I have bees in my brain._

Thankfully, Nightpelt didn't have to make the choice. The entire camp's attention was drawn to the camp entrance. To Nightpelt's relief, Clawface looked up and got to his paws, tail curling with anticipation.

Nightpelt saw Brokentail- it was definitely Brokentail, not the other she-cat who occasionally appeared- approach Raggedstar. His head was ducked as he stretched his neck to whisper to his father.

Raggedpelt's eyes widened and the two began conversing with more rapid movements. Confused, Nightpelt looked to the rest of the patrol for any sign as to what happened.

All the warriors were ragged and bloodstained. Nightpelt hoped it was rat blood rather than the blood of his clanmates. Nightpelt tried to catch his friend Yellowfang's eye but she was focused on what Raggedpelt and Brokentail were doing. He did, however, get a glimpse of Runningpaw's rheumy eyes. What he saw startled him to the bone.

The usually calm, passive apprentice's eyes were livid. There was a soft sorrow behind the intense heat but the rage was blinding. He looked furious. Nightpelt had no idea that the tom had it in him. Honestly, he was kind of impressed. Not many medicine cats had claws but it seemed Runningpaw had potential.

"Wonder what happened to get Runningpaw like that," Nightpelt wondered aloud.

Clawface blinked. "StarClan. He's a medicine cat, he doesn't care about the fighting. Something else must've happened."

"ShadowClan! All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather at clanrock!" Raggedstar yowled. "It's time for a clan meeting."

Raggedstar took his place in front of the clan as Nightpelt and Clawface padded over to join the other warriors sitting in front of him. Nightpelt frowned when he noticed that Foxheart didn't move beside the leader. _Hey… Where is she anyway?_

"I have good news and bad news," Raggedstar announced solemnly. Nightpelt sensed the cats' around him bristle their fur before Raggedstar continued. "The good news is that the raid was successful. Brokentail's patrol taught those rats a lesson."

Nightpelt felt some relief but it barely stood out through the sea of churning emotions in his chest. Clawface, on the other paw, seemed excited by this and joined the clan's yowls of support. Raggedstar silenced them with a wave of his tail.

"The bad news is that Foxheart was killed during the raid on the carrionplace," Raggedstar stated.

Around Nightpelt, the world went quiet. He quickly realized that the clan had just been stunned to silence and the forest was still making noise around them. A bird let out a shrill cry and flew over camp, something that rarely happened since some cat would always lunged to catch it if one even came close to trying, but no cat moved.

"She served her clan well," Raggedpelt said, sadness in his voice. "She will be missed but I must name a new deputy immediately. Cloudpelt, will you stand by my side and be ShadowClan's deputy?"

"Me?" Cloudpelt sat up stiffly, blinking in shock.

"What?" Brokentail yowled. "I was the one who made the plan to attack the carrionplace! I should be deputy!"

Raggedstar silence him with a singular lash of his tail. "Your plan was sound and you showed leadership but you have not been a warrior for long nor have you had an apprentice yet. It is not your time."

Brokentail's head lowered and he started to open his mouth to argue but Raggedstar interrupted him.

"You are a skilled cat though, Brokentail," Raggedstar said. "You will be next in line to become deputy should anything happen to Cloudpelt. Stumpykit, Cinderkit, step forward."

Nightpelt felt Clawface stiffen next to him. Stumpykit and Cinderkit were his sons. Nightpelt guessed that he and his mate, Rowanberry, had received no warning that their kits were to become apprentices today but neither cat spoke up.

"Stumpykit," Raggedstar spoke, "from this day forward until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stumpypaw. Brokentail, you have displayed strength and leadership. I hope that you pass all that you know to this apprentice."

Stumpypaw and Raggedstar performed the traditional exchange between leader and apprentice before Stumpypaw padded up to Brokentail, wide eyed. Raggedstar turned to Cinderkit.

"Cinderkit, from this day forward until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Cinderpaw," Raggedstar said. "Nutwhisker, you have proved yourself to be a brave and caring warrior. I hope you will pass all that you know to this apprentice."

"I… Thank you, Raggedstar," Nutwhisker said as she got to her paws to greet her new apprentice.

"Cinderpaw! Stumpypaw! Cinderpaw! Stumpypaw!"

Nightpelt lifted his head and joined his clan's yowls. Pride swelled in his chest for his brother's kits. _My blood runs in them too. And my old apprentice is training one of them. They will become great warriors._

* * *

Brokentail had no idea what to do when a fresh apprentice was thrust into his paws. A small brown tom was staring up at him expectantly with wide, innocent green eyes. Brokentail took a step back. _This is too much…_ "Er, hi?"

Stumpypaw looked just as confused as he was and waved his tail a bit despite being seated directly in front of him.

"Brokentail," Nutwhisker said, padding over with Cinderpaw close behind. "Should we go show them the territory?"

"Um, maybe tomorrow," Brokentail said. _Let Hopeheart deal with this part. I can't… Young cats, ugh._ "It… um, it'll be sundown before we cover even half the territory and half the clan just got back from battle and none of us have rested or been to the medicine den so…"

"Oh. Don't worry, I understand," Nutwhisker said. She looked to the two apprentices. "Is that alright with you? Can you wait until tomorrow to see the territory?"

Stumpypaw shrugged. "I guess. Can we look around just outside camp? Not too far just..."

"I don't see why not," Nutwhisker said. "Brokentail, you see Yellowfang and get some rest. We can show these two around tomorrow. Want to start at dawn?"

"Um… I always patrol with Nightpelt at dawn," Brokentail said slowly. He would never admit it but he kind of like it. He knew that Nightpelt didn't like him, he only put up with him because of Wishvine and Hopeheart, but Brokentail appreciated having another cat's presence in his life. "But we could go right after that or you all could come…"

"No, just after dawn patrol sounds good," Nutwhisker said. She swatted Cinderpaw's head playfully. "These two aren't used to waking up at dawn yet."

"They'll never get used to it if we go easy on them."

"No sense in breaking them so hard right at the start," Nutwhisker said. She winked at him. "That's for later."

Brokentail was somewhat amused by Stumpypaw and Cinderpaw's horrified expressions but it wasn't enough to lift the mood he was in. It felt like his mind was spinning but he forced himself to purr at her joke. "Yeah. Later. I'm… going to go visit the medicine den. I'll see you later."

Brokentail ducked out and started to make a beeline for the medicine den. A few of the cats from his patrol were lying on the ground outside so Yellowfang and Runningpaw could treat their wounds. When Brokentail approached, Runningpaw lifted his head and shot Brokentail the most hostile look that the brown tabby had ever seen. It hit him like icy claws digging into his chest, pushing him back. Brokentail didn't even realize he had taken a step back until he took another. Slowly retreating at first, Brokentail turned tail and ran out of camp.

* * *

Runningpaw let out a long sigh, the anger boiling in his chest dissipating, as e saw Brokentail bolt away. He felt guilty for a moment. Was his anger misplaced? He didn't know. The day wasn't over yet and he had already felt more emotions churning in his belly than he had felt in a lifetime.

Runningpaw finished putting a poultice on a gash on Featherstorm's flank before turning to Tanglepaw. His sister wasn't badly injured but she was the least experienced of all the cats on patrol and had received more than her fair share of cuts, bashes, and bruises. Runningpaw didn't say anything as he picked up some herbs and began chewing them.

"It's a good thing you're staying away from Brokentail," Tanglepaw commented, breaking the silence.

Runningpaw stopped chewing and nearly choked. "What?"

"He's not a good cat," Tanglepaw said. "I'm glad that you're finally seeing that."

Runningpaw spat the poultice on his paws and began putting it on Tanglepaw's wounds. "I don't follow."

Tanglepaw whisked her tail and let out an annoyed sigh. "I don't understand why you're friends with him. He's dangerous. I'm just saying it's good that you two are-"

"Brokentail's not dangerous," Runningpaw protested. _Well, maybe. After Wishvine and Foxheart… Stop that. You don't know if it was him. It was probably an accident. _"He's still my friend."

Tanglepaw snorted. "Right. You blew up at him today. If that's not the end of it…"

"He has good days," Runningpaw insisted, "and bad ones. On these days… I usually don't spend a lot of time with him."

Tanglepaw's ears flattened. "Cats aren't just good on some days and bad on others."

"Brokentail is," Runningpaw mumbled. _Well… Not really but close enough. I wonder if any other cats have shifts like he and Hopeheart do? That would be weird._

"If there is, there's something wrong with him. That's not normal," Tanglepaw said. Runningpaw put some cobwebs on the cuts on her back and actively had to keep himself by unsheathing his claws. He didn't want to accidentally hurt his sister. She didn't seem to notice his frustration though. "Seriously Runningpaw, he's dangerous."

"The rest of the clan doesn't think so," Runningpaw shot back.

"Well, that's because he's the clan leader's son," Tanglepaw argued. "They just see him as the next in line to lead. We know what he's really like."

"He's not next in line to lead. Cloudpelt is."

"And you saw how Brokentail reacted to him being named deputy," Tanglepaw pointed out. She lowered her head for a moment and let out a breath. "Look, I know I can't tell you what to do but Deerpaw and I are worried Brokentail's going to… I don't know, hurt you or something. Today… It just showed what he's capable of."

"Oh? And what is he capable of?" Runningpaw snarked. "Making poor decisions?"

"That he can hurt you without trying," Tanglepaw retorted, voice sharp. "Don't pretend like you weren't torn apart by Foxheart's death."

The rising anger in his chest suddenly went cold. He hung his head and withdrew his paws. "I should have saved her."

Guilt suddenly flashed in Tanglepaw's eyes. "Runningpaw, I'm-"

"Drop it," Runningpaw said. "I don't want to talk about this. Not now, not ever."

* * *

Brokentail was deep in the forest by the time he stopped running. Chest heaving, he leaned against a tree as he tried to get his thoughts together.

Sure, he knew he wasn't the nicest cat. He didn't have many friends and he knew having Runningpaw as a friend was more than he deserved. He pushed him away all the time and Brokentail knew the apprentice preferred Hopeheart and Wishvine but he still gave him the time of day. Other cats were starting to notice him and treat him with respect but Brokentail knew it was only because his father was the clan leader. Runningpaw had stuck with him since they were kits even though he always acted like an old badger around him.

_ He was so angry…_ The memory hit him like claws on his chest. _I didn't… I wanted to be deputy but I didn't try to hurt Foxheart. I probably could've saved her though. Maybe if I did, Runningpaw wouldn't be so angry._

It hurt. It really did. Brokentail had never felt like this before. Well, Hopeheart had but she was more sensitive than he was. _Besides, she's not me. Our feelings are different._

He dug his claws into the ground and let his legs go out so he collapsed next to the tree. He put his head on his paws. _Maybe if I was Hopeheart or Wishvine then Runningpaw wouldn't be so upset._

He got to his paws and shook out his pelt, face suddenly hardening with resolute. _No. I'm my own cat. Wishvine's gone and I'm stronger than Hopeheart. I can live my own life. I can be better. Nothing like this will ever happen again. I'm next in line to be deputy and I've got an apprentice to pass my skills to. ShadowClan will always look forward while I'm around._

* * *

"You seem distracted," Yellowfang commented as Runningpaw curled up in his nest.

Runningpaw propped his head up on the edge of the moss to look up at her. "You told me to get some rest. I can be as distracted as I want."

Yellowfang rolled her eyes and turned to sit beside him. "I told you to take a break. Not to take a nap."

"Same difference. And it's past sundown anyway."

"You seemed pretty… high strung earlier," Yellowfang told him slowly. "You had kind of an extreme emotional reaction to Foxheart's death."

Runningpaw sensed a long talk coming. He let out a long breath through his mouth and sat up. "I know. I… It was like the whole world bled away. I could only see…"

"You panicked," Yellowfang concluded. "It's understandable. This was your first time seeing a cat die in battle, right?"

Runningpaw nodded. "Yeah. I know I have to get used to it but-"

"You don't have to get used to it," Yellowfang told him. "You shouldn't. It's true that as medicine cats we have to become conditions to handle these sorts of things but we can't just become unfeeling beasts. Emotions are what makes can strong. We can be understanding and do what's right. You did that today with Foxheart. You did everything you could to make her journey to StarClan easier."

Runningpaw looked at his paws. "I know but I know I could've done more if I hadn't frozen. Maybe I could have saved her."

"That wound was deep," Yellowfang assured. "I don't think even Sagewhisker could've helped her."

"Still…" Runningpaw trailed off. "I froze. And then I ran recklessly into battle. I didn't even know what was happening around me. I could've just made things worse."

"You have to get your emotions under control."

"What?" Runningpaw blinked. "But you just said-"

"That it's important to have emotions but they can still cloud our minds," Yellowfang interrupted. "You blew up at your best friend today over a cat that you didn't even know that well. You, a calm and thoughtful cat, were blinded by rage. What if it was your sister who died? Or Brokentail? Or me? Could you keep your mind clear enough to do your job?"

Runningpaw's gaze remained on the floor. "I… I don't know. I'd like to say that I could but realistically… Realistically I don't know how I'd react in the moment. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a medicine cat."

To his surprise, he felt a comforting tongue lap his ear. "We've all felt like that. It takes time to gain control of ourselves and learn how to act in the moment."

Runningpaw looked up at his mentor. "I don't know if I can though."

"You will," Yellowfang stated confidently. "You will be a great medicine cat, Runningpaw. You just have to find it in you."

* * *

Hopeheart woke to a paw prodding her back. It was a familiar wake up call but she groaned as she pushed herself to her paws. _I'm starting to regret asking Nightpelt to keep training me. This whole wake up at dawn every day thing is getting tiring._

"Come on," Nightpelt said, rousing her by shaking her using the paw placed between her shoulder blades. Hopeheart suddenly became aware of how much muscle Brokentail's body had gained. Her shoulders were pretty broad, far broader than the body she had in the dream realm.

Hopeheart tried to flatten her shoulders. She almost tried to cover them with her tail but she felt that would be too obvious. She settled for rolling onto her flank but that only made her heavy paws come into view. She tucked them under the moss of her nest. _StarClan, I hate being a tom. Why couldn't it be Wishvine's body that survived? Maybe then she would still be alive…_

Nightpelt looked amused, clearly assuming that she just didn't want to wake up this early. He purred and sat back on his haunches. "I know you must be tired after yesterday's raid but you're the one who asked to keep training so we've got to stick to the schedule. You've got a long day ahead of you anyway so let's do this quick, alright? Just the two of us today."

_Raid?_ Hopeheart blinked in confusion. Nightpelt winked. _Oh right. He knows. Maybe he'll catch me up on what's happened._

Hopeheart got out of her nest and followed Nightpelt out of camp. She became annoyed with her sturdy legs and powerful strides. There was no light precision in her pawsteps or grace in her movements. _Why are toms so different from she-cats after they mature? This is so troublesome. When did we finish growing anyway? I'm like a full grown cat... Why are warriors so much bigger than apprentices?_

"The raid yesterday went fine, I hear," Nightpelt said passively, eyes remaining on the path ahead. They were a decent distance from the camp and had broken from the clearing into pine forest. "Too bad about Foxheart."

Hopeheart wanted to ask what happened to Foxheart but that old fear still resided in her chest. She was fairly certain Nightpelt knew she wasn't Brokentail but actually saying something was too much for her to handle. _I need to do it though. Maybe I can find the courage soon… I hope I can. As much as I love having Runningpaw to confide in, my mentor being at my side would be nice._

"Cloudpelt is deputy now," Nightpelt went on. His words hit Hopeheart like a monster running down a thunderpath. _Foxheart's dead?_ Her breath hitched. Nightpelt's eyes finally fell on her. They glowed with concerned.

"A… A lot of cats thought she was my mother," Hopeheart said.

"Is she?"

"I don't think so," Hopeheart told him truthfully. "But she was a good deputy."

"Almost every cat thought you would become deputy," Nightpelt went on. "You would've been a good one but Cloudpelt is a great warrior too. It was kind of rude for Raggedstar to say you're next in line and give you an apprentice. Cloudpelt said it kind of felt like Raggedstar expected him to die and Clawface told me he had no warning that his kits were going to have a ceremony. I think you'll do just fine with Stumpypaw though."

_Stumpypaw's my apprentice?_ _But… I'm barely a warrior. I'm still too young to be a warrior. The cats I was named an apprentice with are still training. Shouldn't a more experienced cat train him?_

"I… Can you help me Nightpelt?" Hopeheart asked. "You were an amazing mentor. I know I'm supposed to be training him but you had Clawface to ask for help. It would really mean a lot to me."

"Of course," Nightpelt said. "He can tag along with our dawn patrol once in awhile. Remember when I used to scope out if it was a day where you needed to train with your father? Perhaps we should do something like that."

Hopeheart blinked in surprise. "That's what you were doing? Seeing if Brokentail was there that day?"

Nightpelt's eyes suddenly flashed in victory and Hopeheart suddenly became aware of her slip up. She stopped walking as her blood went cold. Her legs tensed as her instincts to run kicked in but Nightpelt suddenly rubbed his face on her shoulder, comforting her.

"Yes," Nightpelt told her. "I was seeing if Brokentail was there. But I was also seeing if you or the kind healer was there so I would know what we had to work on."

"You knew," Hopeheart whispered. "All the way back then."

Nightpelt shook his head. "I didn't know until she disappeared. I was… suspicious. I knew my apprentice's personality was different each day and I knew I had my paws full trying to handle it but I didn't realize you were three cats until recently."

Hopeheart's mouth went dry. "I…"

"We don't have to talk about it," Nightpelt told her, "but I do know that the tom who makes up Brokentail can be violent."

"Brokentail is the tom," Hopeheart said.

"The three of you are Broken together," Nightpelt said. "The tom is just a part of that. I am right about him being violent, aren't I? He is the angry warrior."

Hopeheart nodded. "Yes. And you're worried about Stumpypaw?"

Nightpelt nodded. "He is my brother's son. My kin. I have to keep him safe."

"And he is my apprentice," Hopeheart said. "I have to protect him but also train him. I can't just paw him over to you when Brokentail is around. I can't make choices when I'm not here and I usually come every other day. I- well, the cat everyone thinks is Brokentail- have to be with him most of the time. I don't know what to do."

"The two of you complement each other," Nightpelt said. "He is angry and violent but strong while you are calm and kind and thoughtful. You can both teach Stumpypaw different things and just hope that Stumpypaw doesn't notice anything off about you or get hurt."

Hopeheart looked to the sky. "We need StarClan's blessing to make something like that happen."

"StarClan will guide our pawsteps always," Nightpelt told her. "We just have to have faith that everything will be fine."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Haven't been getting a lot of reviews but the last chapter got some responses. You guys are really liking the characters. Try not to worry about anyone. If Warriors has taught us anything, it's that if someone dies we keep seeing them 4 arcs later (*cough* Yellowfang) but bad things can still happen to them (*cough* Spottedleaf). Not telling though, you just have to keep reading to find out.

Seriously though, thanks for the reviews. They really help push this story along. I'm coming close to writing the end game and having you guys reviewing help me be in the mindset to tie everything together. Don't worry though, this story won't be ending anytime soon.

Guess who finally read Crowfeather's Trial even though it came out over a year ago? Me. I was going to write a story about Crowfeather a real long time ago but I decided it was dumb so I decided to give up on it. After reading Crowfeather's Trial, I realized that the story was even dumber than I initially thought. It was going to be about Crowfeather and Weaselfur since he is one of the few cats remaining in WindClan who made the Great Journey so I thought it would be cool BUT turns out Weaselfur is a piece of fox dung and I don't like him.

Happy Halloween everyone. Also, I became a moderator on reddit so hyped about that. The automods are in the most random language so I might be teaching myself a new one so I can set it up. If any of you know YAML or have a large amount of knowledge on cheetahs, let me know.


	12. Risk

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokentail or Hopeheart's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokentail. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokentail so it will say Brokentail but it might not be Brokentail. Two minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokentail's body in the real world.

When it is Runningpaw's POV, Runningpaw will call the cat he sees Brokentail until he knows which one it is and will refer to Hopeheart as female due to knowing she is a she-cat.

Nightpelt knows that Brokentail is two cats. He knows that Wishvine is gone and will refer to Brokentail and Hopeheart as the tom or the she-cat due to knowing their genders.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is."_

~ Gernman proverb

.

* * *

Stumpypaw wasn't sure how he felt about his mentor. The day he had been named an apprentice, Brokentail had been acting kind of weird but that was understandable considering he just came back from a patrol. The next day, he and Nutwhisker had shown Stumpypaw and Cinderpaw the territory. Brokentail had seemed excited and had patiently answered any questions the apprentices had and had even raced Stumpypaw to the border. That night Stumpypaw had gone to his new nest happy with Raggedstar's choice.

The next day, however, Brokentail jumped their training straight into battlemoves. Stumpypaw had thought it was fun at first but Brokentail soon began drilling him mercilessly until his soft muscles were too tired to stand properly.

_Then the next day he was super nice and taught me how to hunt!_ Stumpypaw exasperated. In the quarter-moon that he had been training under Brokentail, the older tom had been different almost everyday. It was tiring, mentally and physically. He went easy on him some days which Stumpypaw was thankful for but the others… _I don't think I can take much more of this._

He tried to face the day with high hopes though. Brokentail had told him that he was doing to do some battle training with Cinderpaw and Nutwhisker today.

It… It had not gone well.

Nutwhisker was nice and Brokentail was a fantastic warrior so Stumpypaw tried his best to listen to their instructions, he really did, but Brokentail was not satisfied. Stumpypaw didn't know what he could do to make his mentor happy.

Stumpypaw padded over to his brother at the edge of the clearing that the four cats were training in and sat down heavily. His body was more tired than it had ever been and he was tempted to curl up and go to sleep but he kept his head up and his eyes open.

Cinderpaw looked amused and not nearly as tired as Stumpypaw was sure he did. The darker tom tilted his head as he looked at him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm so tired," Stumpypaw groaned. "I don't think I'm ever going to learn this move."

"Brokentail's pushing you too hard," Cinderpaw told him.

"We're training," Stumpypaw pointed out. "I need to push myself or…"

"Nutwhisker's taking it slower with me and I think I've almost got this move down," Cinderpaw said. "Maybe you should ask for a break? Sometimes that helps."

"No breaks," Brokentail said, interrupting the brothers. He beckoned him over with his tail. "Come on. We're leaving."

Stumpypaw blinked at him. "Where are we going?"

"You're to chatty," Brokentail growled, shouldering his apprentice away from his brother. "I need to teach you how to keep that mouth of yours shut."

* * *

"You've seemed down lately," Yellowfang commented as she and her friend Nightpelt padded into the pine forest.

The dark tom shrugged. "It's just… Nevermind. I think I'm doing better. I was just kind of upset about something that never even really existed."

Yellowfang shot him a confused glance but didn't pry. Nightpelt didn't seem to want to talk about it so she wouldn't make him.

"How is Runningpaw's training coming along?" Nightpelt asked. "I'd say his littermates are ready to become warriors- I don't know why Raggedstar hasn't given them their names yet- and medicine cat apprentices aren't usually too far behind."

"He's doing really well," Yellowfang said. "I don't think I'll have to train him for much longer."

She was vaguely aware that Nightpelt was speaking but her mind tuned it out as something in her prompted her to look up.

"Stumpypaw!" she cried.

Nightpelt looked confused before following her gaze. "What is- Great StarClan! Stumpypaw! What are you doing?"

Above, the dark apprentice was hanging off an oak branch by his teeth. His eyes flickered down and he started to speak but the moment he opened his mouth to speak, Stumpypaw dropped like a rock.

Yellowfang reacted fast enough to take a step away but Nightpelt unfortunately did not and Stumpypaw ended up falling directly on his back. "Wha-? Ow! Hey!"

"Sorry," Stumpypaw apologized, jumping off him. He winced slightly and pawed his own cheek. "Ow…"

Yellowfang took a few steps towards Stumpypaw. "Are you alright? What were you doing?"

"I'm fine," Nightpelt said sarcastically, sitting up. "Don't mind me."

Stumpypaw sat down heavily, still rubbing the back of his paw against the side of his face. "Brokentail told me I was talking too much so I had to learn how to keep my mouth shut."

"By hanging off a branch?" Nightpelt questioned.

"He said it was training too… It would make my bite stronger."

"More like permanently injure your jaw," Yellowfang said, ducking a bit to get a better look at the apprentice's mouth. "Does it hurt?"

"I guess… Please don't tell Brokentail," Stumpypaw begged. "He said I was slacking off in training and I don't want him to get any madder at me."

"Your fur is covered in dust and your legs look like a strong breeze would snap them in half," Yellowfang said. "You're exhausted and he calls this slacking off? What was Brokentail having you do?"

"He wanted me to learn this new battle move so he had me practice it on him but he kept knocking me down," Stumpypaw told her. "I was so tired but he kept making me get up and try again."

Yellowfang glanced at Nightpelt. The tom waved his tail defensively. "Hey, don't look at me. I wasn't the one who taught him that's what training is supposed to be like."

"You're his mentor," Yellowfang said. "Who else would train him?"

"I- wait. I never…" Nightpelt trailed off, looking confused. After a moment, his face grew serious. "I never trained Brokentail."

"What?"

"I mean, yes, I did train him but…" Nightpelt trailed off again. "On his bad days, I'd let his father train him. Maybe… Maybe he got some bad ideas of what training is from him?"

Yellowfang hissed aloud but it wasn't directed to her friend. "And Raggedstar thinks Brokentail is the perfect warrior so we can't report this."

Panic flashed in Stumpypaw's eyes. "Please, please don't tell anyone. Brokentail will think I'm trying to get him to ease up on the training."

Nightpelt blinked slowly. "Are there any days where he trains you well? Not just repetitive battle moves, I mean."

"Like hunting?" Stumpypaw asked. Nightpelt nodded. Stumpypaw's fear seemed to fade a bit. "Yeah. Some days he's really nice and he teaches me fun stuff like hunting and stalking and about the clans and stuff."

Nightpelt frowned and looked Stumpypaw dead in the eyes. "Stumpypaw, I need you to understand something."

"What is it?" Stumpypaw asked, tilting his head. Yellowfang leaned forward a bit. Nightpelt looked so serious. She was intrigued.

"Brokentail is never the same two sunrises in a row. Some days, he's entirely different cat," Nightpelt explained. Yellowfang jolted. _A different cat?_ She exchanged a glance with Stumpypaw. The young tom looked just as surprised as she did. _Cats don't just change overnight. _Nightpelt waved his tail. "I know, I know, it sounds crazy but he's got three distinct… personalities. Well, only two now. One of them… Nevermind. Some days he's this angry warrior with ambitions higher than the horizon and on others sh… uh, he is a kind hearted cat who loves hunting and truly cares for the clan."

"Do you have bees in your bra-" Yellowfang started but was cut off by Stumpypaw.

"Exactly!" Stumpypaw exclaimed, bouncing to his paws. "The day he showed me the territory, he was super nice and patient. He answered all my questions and told me all kinds of stories and he even raced with me and Cinderpaw but the next day he kept growling at me. He kept hitting me really hard when he was correcting my hunter's crouch and he wouldn't let me go back to camp until I caught two mice. Then the next day, he finished teaching me the move and showed me how to climb and let me eat some of his fresh-kill even though apprentices aren't allowed to eat until they've hunted. He said I worked hard so I deserved it. Then the next day he started me on battlemoves and kept knocking me down! It's like he's switches between being a grumpy old badger and a… a... I don't know, good mentor."

Yellowfang frowned. _That's not normal. How did I never notice?_

Nightpelt rested his tail tip on the apprentice's shoulder. "Come with me and Brokentail on dawn patrol every morning."

"Dawn patrol? Every morning?" Stumpypaw repeated.

"It's how I learned to handle Brokentail," Nightpelt told him. "Watch him, listen to him, and you'll be able to tell which cat he wakes up as. Then you can be prepared for who will train you that day. If he's having a really bad day, I might be able to convince him to let me train you or at least tag along and try to make things a bit easier."

"Really?" Stumpypaw asked.

"Really," Nightpelt confirmed with a nod. He looked to Yellowfang, eyes pleading. "Go to Yellowfang if you ever get hurt. You've heard of Crookedstar, the new RiverClan leader? You don't want your jaw to end up like his. Make sure you take care of yourself, Stumpypaw."

"I will," the young tom promised. "And thank you."

"No need to thank us," Nightpelt told him.

"You shouldn't be afraid of your mentor," Yellowfang told him. "A mentor should be someone you trust but it sounds like… Brokentail is not the cat we thought he was. I didn't know he gets personality shifts but that's not normal and you need to be careful, Stumpypaw."

"I will," Stumpypaw said. He glanced between the two of them. "You two will help me if anything bad happens, right?"

"Of course," Nightpelt said. "Yellowfang's your medicine cat and I'm your kin. We'll always do everything we can for you."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Somehow, this thing took 3 weeks to write. Blame writer's block. Finally found motivation and wrote half this chapter in like an hour.

Stumpypaw hanging from a branch is one of the few scenes I remember pretty well from Yellowfang's Secret. I thought about expanding on it more but I realized you guys probably don't want to read about a cat's jaw.


	13. Enlightenment

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokentail or Hopeheart's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokentail. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokentail so it will say Brokentail but it might not be Brokentail. Two minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokentail's body in the real world.

When it is Runningpaw's POV, Runningpaw will call the cat he sees Brokentail until he knows which one it is and will refer to Hopeheart as female due to knowing she is a she-cat.

Nightpelt knows that Brokentail is two cats. He knows that Wishvine is gone and will refer to Brokentail and Hopeheart as the tom or the she-cat or another name.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_We have to let the Warrior Code rule our hearts."_

~Hollyleaf

.

* * *

"Deerfoot! Tangleburr! Deerfoot! Tangleburr!"

Runningpaw tilted his head back and let his voice join his clanmates' in chanting his siblings names. At their place by Raggedstar in front of the clan, Deerfoot and Tangleburr stood tall, eyes gleaming with pride.

"It's about time," Yellowfang grunted as the two new warriors approached their mentors for a post-ceremony talk. "Usually warriors are given their names before any medicine cat apprentices are."

Runningpaw's ear twitched. "Usually? As in not now?"

Yellowfang nodded. "You've been an apprentice for a long time, Runningpaw, and I've taught you all I can."

Runningpaw eyes lit up. "Do you mean it?"

Yellowfang nodded. "Of course. You've long since earned your name. It's a half-moon tonight so I was planning on performing the ceremony when we arrive at the Moonstone."

Runningpaw broke into a purr as his tail curled in excitement. _Finally… I'm going to become a full-fledged medicine cat!_

* * *

When the pair arrived at the Mothermouth, the ThunderClan medicine cats Goosefeather and Featherwhisker as well as WindClan's medicine cat Hawkheart were already waiting but RiverClan's medicine cat Brambleberry were close behind. Runningpaw became very aware that he was the only apprentice left. _But not for long._

The thought was followed by a flash of concern. Hawkheart was getting up in moons and probably didn't have too many seasons left in him but he had never shown any interest in taking an apprentice. Milkfur had moved on to StarClan shortly after Brambleberry received her name and Milkfur was probably around the same age as Hawkheart. Would WindClan be alright in the coming season cycles? Runningpaw shook the thought away as greetings were exchanged. Tonight was special and he wasn't going to let anything change that.

"Are we going to sit out here freezing our tails off all night or are we going to share tongues with StarClan?" Goosefeather grumbled.

"Quit complaining," Hawkheart snapped. "It's not even leaf-bare yet. A little breeze won't do you any harm."

Runningpaw heard Brambleberry mutter something to Featherwhisker about old toms before Yellowfang spoke up. "Let's hurry it up. There is something I'd like to do tonight."

Brambleberry and Featherwhisker, the two cats Runningpaw had shared his time as an apprentice with, looked at him with interest. Runningpaw nodded, saying yes to their silent question. Both pairs of eyes glowed with congratulations. Runningpaw dipped his head. He was happy to finally join his peers as a medicine cat.

Yellowfang lead the group down into Mothermouth. The cave was a pitch black but Runningpaw could feel the indentations left by pawsteps in the stone. How many cats had walked here before him to wear down the path like that? He wondered every time he came down here. It made him feel very small but special at the same time. Someday many seasons after he joined StarClan, some apprentice would walk down this path and wonder the same thing and Runningpaw would be able to say he was one of those cats who walked this path.

Light trickled into view from ahead as the cats neared the Moonstone. It looked as beautiful as ever. The moonlight always made it glow in a way that made Runningpaw want to just stop and stare in awe. He wasn't going to tonight though. There was something he had to do.

Yellowfang stepped in front of the group and threw her head back, orange eyes' gaze reaching up through the gap in the cave's ceiling to stare up at the stars above. "I, Yellowfang, medicine cat of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan for many moons."

Runningpaw felt his heart beat against his chest as his heart rate increased. He curled his tail in anticipation as Yellowfang looked down so that their eyes met. He blinked a few times before squaring his shoulders and meeting her gaze with strength and confidence. _It's been moons since that battle where I lost my cool… I've proven myself worthy of my medicine cat name. StarClan, please accept me._

"Runningpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?" Yellowfang asked.

"I do," Runningpaw said, voice unwavering.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat," Yellowfang said. "Runningpaw, from this moment you will be known as Runningnose. StarClan honors your loyalty and skill, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of ShadowClan."

Yellowfang rested her muzzle on his head and Runningnose lapped her shoulder fur. His mind was blurry yet so clear at the same time. _I've waited so long for this._

"Runningnose! Runningnose!" the other medicine cats called, voices echoing in the cave.

Runningpaw swallowed a purr. "Thank you," he rasped.

Yellowfang took a step back and gestured to the Moonstone with her heavy tail. "Now touch the stone and share your first dreams with StarClan as a medicine cat."

Runningnose dipped his head to her before padding forward and crouching beside the stone. He settled down and reached forward, nose touching the surface of the Moonstone.

Instantly, darkness washed over him and he was pulled into the realm of StarClan. He blinked his eyes open, clearing away any lingering darkness from the transition away from the waking world, and found himself standing in a field lush with life.

"Runningnose," a voice said.

Runningnose whipped around and saw a ginger she-cat standing behind him. He felt his throat tighten with grief and his eyes went round with guilt but his mew was light and happy. "Foxheart!"

Her green eyes shone as she purred at him. The last time he'd seen her, her orange fur was matted with blood but here her pelt was healthy and youth flowed through her. "It's good to see you."

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you!" Runningnose blurted. "I k-"

He was silenced by a tail placed over his mouth. "Don't worry, Runningnose. You did all you could. You made my passing easier than it would have been if you weren't there and I thank you for that. You might be able to save another though. I come bearing a message."

Runningnose's pelt prickled. _A prophecy? Or an omen? Either way, this sounds serious._

"The heart Hopes for love and the Wish is to heal but the mind has Broken the Wish," Foxheart told him.

Runningnose blinked as her words struck a chord in his chest and his mind blanked. The hidden meaning was easy to pick out but it was alarming.

"What?" he rasped. "What do you mean the mind has Broken the Wish?"

"The heart Hopes for love and the Wish is to heal but the mind has Broken the Wish," Foxheart repeated.

"I know but-"

"The heart Hopes for love and the Wish is to heal but the mind has Broken the Wish," Foxheart said again. "Where this leads… The rest is up to you."

"Wait!" Runningnose called as his world began to fade. Panic swam in his belly. He had to know what Foxheart was trying to tell him. "What are you- No! Don't go. What do you mean?"

Runningnose jerked as he was thrown into the real world. He pushed himself to his forepaws with a gasp.

Adrenaline continued to pump through his system. He looked around with wild eyes and saw that Goosefeather, Featherwhisker, and Hawkheart were already awake and watching him with concern while Yellowfang and Brambleberry were still waking up.

"Are you okay?" Featherwhisker asked.

"I…" Runningpaw trailed off. He just received a prophecy that implied his best friend- best friends- were in danger, all three in different ways. _Brokentail… Oh Brokentail, what did you do? I know we've grown apart but I didn't think you could ever do anything to hurt your sister. Wishvine… She's gone. And Hopeheart might be next. _

He swallowed and sat back on his haunches. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. To answer Featherwhisker's question, no. No, he was not okay. He needed to be though or at least fake it for the others' sake and maybe his own too.

He lowered his gaze. "I'm fine. Don't worry. Everything's… Everything's going to be okay."

He felt a nudge at his shoulder and glanced over to see Yellowfang at his side. She shot him a meaningful glance. Subtly, he nodded. They had to talk.

"I need to return to RiverClan!" Brambleberry gasped as she got to her paws. She quickly darted to the mouth of the cave. "I'll see you all at the next Gathering!"

"And that's our cue to leave," Yellowfang said hurriedly, pushing Runningnose towards the exit. Runningnose gave a half-hearted wave to Featherwhisker before he was shuffled outside.

The two were halfway across the Highstones when Yellowfang spoke. "What did StarClan tell you?"

Runningnose's mind spun like a leaf caught in a snowstorm. He understood almost exactly what StarClan told him but his mouth went dry when he parted his lips to tell Yellowfang. _Brokentail and Hopeheart's secret is not mine to tell… But Hopeheart might be in danger and something's wrong with Brokentail. He's different… Like something darker has consumed him._

Yellowfang's expression suddenly became very gentle. "You can tell me anything, Runningnose."

"I know," Runningnose whispered. "Foxheart… She came to me with a prophecy."

Yellowfang blinked in surprise. "Really? What did she say?"

"She said… She said 'the heart Hopes for love and the Wish is to heal but the mind has Broken the Wish,'" Runningnose choked out. "And she said what that leads to is up to me."

Yellowfang closed her eyes. "Oh StarClan…"

Runningnose felt his stomach do a couple flips. "Does that mean anything to you?"

"May moons ago, when you were just a kit, I received a similar warning," Yellowfang told him. "The heart Hopes for love and the Wish is to heal but the mind and body will become Broken in time. Clearly, something has changed."

Runningnose's eyes widened. _Does Yellowfang…_ "Did you ever figure out anything out about it?"

Yellowfang let out a long sigh and stopped walking. "I suppose it's time I told some cat. Runningnose, please don't hate me for this. I have a confession."

Runningnose stopped and stared at her. "I could never hate you Yellowfang. How bad could it be?"

"Many seasons ago, I broke the medicine cat code," she told him. "And my mistake was prophesied to bring the end of ShadowClan."

Runningnose sat back on his haunches. "What… What did you do?"

"I kitted," Yellowfang murmured, so quietly that Runningnose almost didn't hear her. "I kitted three beautiful kits… I called them Wishkit, Hopekit, and Brokenkit after the life I wished I could have, the hope I had that they would live good lives, and the broken feeling I had in my heart when I realized that could never be. This prophecy, both of them or rather all three of them… I was told 'a poison will spring from the heart of ShadowClan, and spread to the other Clans. A storm of blood and fire will sweep the forest.' I knew Brokentail would bring something terrible to our clan but I couldn't just leave him. He was just a kit, I didn't think he could ever grow up to do something horrible. But the second warning has changed. I don't know what it means but the fact that it's different…"

Runningnose's mind was silent. He had just received a lot of new information at once. Brokentail would spell the end of the clan but for some reason he couldn't fathom, that wasn't what he ended up focusing on. "You're Brokentail, Wishvine, and Hopeheart's mother?"

Yellowfang looked at him with a start. "Wishvine and Hopeheart?"

The words had left his mouth without Runningnose putting any thought into the action but he wasn't about to stop now. "Your daughters' warrior names."

Yellowfang's breath audibly hitched. "My daughters… But they died."

Runningnose shook his head. "They survived."

"But that's impossible," Yellowfang whispered. "I buried them myself."

"But one of your kits survived," Runningnose pointed out. "One body was all they needed."

"You mean…?"

Runningnose nodded. "They lived on through Brokentail."

Yellowfang's face melted into shock. "My beautiful daughters… How did I never notice? Nightpelt told me that Brokentail was three cats and I didn't believe him. I thought Brokentail was just more aggressive at some times than others. I never thought… And you knew?"

"Hopeheart is my best friend. She means the world to me," Runningnose said. "Wishvine was never meant to be a warrior so I always tried to support her. Brokentail doesn't have many friends so I always stood at his side, even when he pushed me away."

"'The heart Hopes for love and the Wish is to heal but the mind and body will become Broken in time'... 'the mind had Broken the Wish'..." Yellowfang trailed off. "Brokentail will end his sisters. Wishvine is gone, that's what StarClan told you and Hopeheart is next. Her heart will never…"

Yellowfang trailed off and her gaze fell on Runningnose. He squirmed. "What?"

"She loves you," Yellowfang said.

"_What?"_ Runningnose screeched.

"'The heart Hopes for love,'" Yellowfang quoted. "Hopeheart wants to know love before she dies. You're the only cat that really knows her."

Runningnose shook his head. "You're jumping to conclusions. Sure, everyone wants to experience love but that does mean us. I mean-"

"Do you love her?" Yellowfang asked bluntly. The question made Runningnose freeze.

Did he love Hopeheart? She was his best friend. There were times he saw her differently, sure, but did he love her? He didn't know. He had never seen the real her, always in the body of her brother. A tom. He was positive he had no interest in toms. He saw her as a she-cat though so if he did love her, that wouldn't affect any decisions he made but… he was a medicine cat for StarClan's sake. So he was pretty certain he didn't…

"Maybe in another lifetime," Runningnose told her. "She walks in a tom's pawsteps. Not that it should matter but… you know. We could never be together, not in ShadowClan at least. And I'm a medicine cat…"

"That's the right answer," Yellowfang said. "As much as I love my daughter, I love my old apprentice enough to warn him away from making the same mistakes I made. Now, will you help me save my remaining daughter from my son?"

Runningnose nodded. "Of course. I would walk to the ends of the earth for any of you."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Does Hopeheart love Runningnose? I have no idea. This is not a romance story so we're probably not going to find out.


	14. Revelation

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokentail or Hopeheart's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokentail. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokentail so it will say Brokentail but it might not be Brokentail. Two minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokentail's body in the real world.

When it is Runningnose's POV, Runningnose will call the cat he sees Brokentail until he knows which one it is and will refer to Hopeheart as female due to knowing she is a she-cat.

Nightpelt knows that Brokentail is two cats. He knows that Wishvine is gone and will refer to Brokentail and Hopeheart as the tom or the she-cat or another name.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they are never going to be born."_

~Richard Dawkins

.

* * *

"Hey!"

Hopeheart woke to a voice hissing quietly at her. She flattened her ears against her head, trying to ignore the voice, but a paw began prodding her to wake up.

Stifling a groan, she blinked her eyes open and was met with darkness. "It's not dawn yet, Nightpelt. Dawn patrol isn't for- Runningpaw?"

"Keep it down," Runningpaw hissed. "I need to talk to you. And it's Runningnose now."

Hopeheart blinked in confusion before pulling herself out of her nest, careful not to wake any of the cats in nearby nests. No warrior wanted to be woken in the middle of the night. Dimly in the back of her mind, she recalled that it was half-moon which explained what Runningnose was doing awake this late but she had no idea what he wanted to talk about.

Hopeheart didn't know who was supposed to be on guard duty tonight but she was surprised to see Yellowfang's eyes fall on her as the pair neared the entrance. The aging medicine cat's gaze seemed to hold some kind of longing when they fell on Hopeheart's form. Hopeheart couldn't figure out why. She quickly gave up, assuming that she was imagining it.

"I'm just covering for Boulder while he's making dirt," Yellowfang told them before either could speak. Her face suddenly seemed to harden. "Hurry or you'll run into him."

Runningnose dipped his head and murmured thanks before breaking into a trot, beckoning Hopeheart to follow. "Come on."

Now Hopeheart was even more confused but she didn't hesitate to follow the tom into the pine forest. Of course, her mind was spinning with questions but she didn't stop to ask them until they reached the clearing far from camp where she had learned to climb as an apprentice.

Her paws scuffed the soft earth as she came to a halt, cutting Runningnose off from going any further. She opened her mouth to demand to know what was happening then she noticed the nervous twitches of his tail and the way his paws shuffled and clawed at the forest floor. She was sensing this was something serious.

"Did you get a dream from StarClan?" Hopeheart asked, calming down. That was the only reason that she could imagine Yellowfang would be in on… whatever this was.

Runningnose nodded. "Yeah and… Well, I found out some stuff. About you."

Hopeheart blinked. "About me?"

Runningnose nodded. "I… I found out who your mother is. And maybe something about what happened to Wishvine."

Hopeheart's eyes widened and she sat down heavily unable to speak. _My mother?_ She never gave it much thought since she was a kit. She had long since accepted that she would never know who she was and now… _Do I even want to know?_

"Don't tell me," she said suddenly.

Runningnose tilted his head, looking confused. "What?"

"Don't tell me," Hopeheart repeated. "I… I don't know if I want to know. If I ask in a couple moons, a few seasons, or even when we're both lying around in the elder's den after we retire, will you tell me? I don't think I'm…"

Runningnose nodded in understanding. "I get it. You're not ready. Do you want to know what happened to Wishvine?"

"Did you see her in StarClan?" Hopeheart asked hopefully.

"I- Well, no," Runningnose admitted. "I don't think she's in StarClan but she's definitely gone. A few moons ago, Yellowfang received a prophecy."

"About us?"

Runningnose nodded. "It said that Brokentail would be the end of you and Wishvine."

Hopeheart stopped breathing for a moment as every muscle in her body and every piece of fur on her pelt went stiff and still. Once her train of thought resumed, she wondered why. This wasn't new information. As much as she didn't want to believe it, she knew that Brokentail would one day reclaim full control of his body and mind. She tried not to think about it, she didn't let it bother her, but there was no wondering anymore. It was prophesied to happen. _I can't live in denial anymore. My brother is going to kill me._

Runningnose ducked his head, eyes round with worry. Hopeheart suddenly realized her gaze had dropped to her paws and her friend was trying to catch her eye. "Are you okay?"

"I… Yeah," Hopeheart said and she found that she meant it. She was strangely calm. There wasn't a morsel of fear in her bones to make her shake and there was no anxiety flooding her muscles to make her fur stand. She was still and breathing calmly as if nothing happened. "I just… I couldn't imagine killing my littermates. I don't know if Brokentail…"

"I know he's a good cat deep down," Runningnose told her. "Or at least I thought he was. Now, I don't know. He's changed so much since we were kits but I don't know. He might be the same cat. StarClan, he might not even be Brokentail anymore. We should at least give him a chance, right?"

Hopeheart nodded and looked up at the sky. It was still dark, moonlight filtering through the gaps between the pine trees. "It's still night. We don't go to the same place when we sleep anymore but I could try talking to him. I don't know where he is but I'm sure I could find him."

"Before you have to wake up for dawn patrol?" Runningnose questioned. Hopeheart's confidence flickered. Runningnose seemed to notice. "You should hurry then."

Hopeheart dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Thank you, Runningnose."

"Always," the tom told her. "Now run!"

Hopeheart whipped around and darted into the forest, muscles rippling under her pelt as she streaked through the shadows and pine trees of the territory.

* * *

Brokentail stood in a well-lit clearing. He was surrounded by strong, sturdy oaks that stretched as far as he could see. Shadows danced under the canopies of dried leaves, blocking his gaze from penetrating the forest too deeply. He desperately wanted to see what was behind the treeline. He could feel himself being drawn into it but he couldn't move his paws. Something in him was stopping him and he didn't know what.

"Brokentail?"

Brokentail whipped around and saw a cream grey she-cat standing behind him. Her brown eyes locked with his own. He could feel a desperate sorrow behind them. He tilted his head, confused by her presence for a moment, before recognizing him. "Hopeheart? StarClan! Hopeheart!"

The she-cat broke into a purr. It was a soft, almost like she didn't want to show that she was happy to see him. She padded forward and rubs the top of her head against his shoulder. It was a friendly gesture but it was clear she was hesitant. Brokentail couldn't fathom why.

"What are you doing here?" Brokentail asked.

"I came here looking for you," Hopeheart told him. "Runningnose… StarClan told him something. He thinks he knows why Wishvine disappeared. He- we- don't want anything like that to happen again."

"It's already started," Brokentail said, breaking her gaze and staring off into the forest. He lifted his muzzle and closed his eyes slowly, eyelids sheltering his orange irises from the light that flooded down from the starless sky. "I think I'm next."

Brokentail didn't have to open his eyes to sense a wave of surprise wash off his sister. "What?"

"I came here every night just before it took her," Brokentail said, voice distant. "The shadows, they weren't behind the treeline like they are tonight. I was angry and they seemed to like that. They kept creeping forward until they surrounded me. Wishvine… I don't know what happened but I could feel the shadows pulling her in and then she was gone."

Brokentail dropped his gaze, eyes meeting his sister's once more. It had been a long time since he'd seen her. Every night, he came here instead of the dream realm where they used to play as kits. There in the dream realm, they ran and slept in a field surrounded by light. Here, he just stood alone with the shadows and trees. Even staring into Hopeheart's brown eyes, he could feel them around him. They were calling to him. He was certain he could hear a whisper in the breeze that rattled the sharp leaves but he couldn't quite hear it yet.

"I've been coming here for moons," Brokentail said, breaking her gaze again to glance over his shoulder and stare into the forest.

The leaves and the thinner branches began shaking as a cool wind blew through the forest. Hopeheart shivered but Brokentail barely reacted. Words tickled his ears as the breeze brushed by him but he still couldn't quite make them out. He knew he would be able to one day and he knew that it wouldn't be long before that day came. He inhaled deeply. The air felt chilled in his nostrils and it made his body quiver as the breath traveled down to his chest.

"I can feel it," he told her. "The Dark Forest… It's not empty but I don't know who's there. They stopped Wishvine from going to StarClan and they want me here with them. The shadows… I know they could grab me any time but they're waiting."

Hopeheart frowned. "I don't understand…"

"Hopeheart," Brokentail stated, trying out the name. "I don't think we've seen each other since we got our names."

Hopeheart's eyes flickered to his tail. Brokentail could feel her eyes scanning over the crooked curve of it, soaking in each detail. In a way, it was her tail too. "Yours suits you."

"Yours is better," Brokentail said. He took a few steps with his forepaws, turning so he was facing her. "It's perfect. Stay in the dream realm, Hopeheart. It's not StarClan or this Dark Forest. I think… Maybe I'm already dead? I keep going back to the living world though… I don't know. This place doesn't have any life here though and maybe I don't have that spark in me that really lets cats live. You do though. Don't come here, Hopeheart. The darkness here could snuff out the light you have."

Hopeheart frowned. "Why are you talking like this, Brokentail? This place… It's all in your- our- mind right?"

_"She doesn't understand the darkness… the anger… the drive. She does not have the ambition,"_ the voice in the breeze said.

Brokentail's eyes lit up when he heard it. _It's finally here. I can finally hear it._ "Listen. It's speaking."

Hopeheart tilted her head. "What are you talking about, Brokentail?"

"The forest, the darkness, it's speaking to me," Brokentail whispered.

"_She is light. The power of the Dark Forest cannot corrupt that. You, however…" _the voice chuckled darkly. Brokentail got the distinct feel that the voice came from a she-cat. _"You have what it takes. You can rule the shadows. You just have to let the shadows follow you."_

Brokentail's eyes glazed over. "What do I need to do?"

"_You…"_

"What are you doing, Brokentail?" Hopeheart asked, eyes going wild wish fear as she crouched back.

"_...need…"_

"The Dark Forest is giving me some of its darkness," Brokentail whispered. Around him, he could sense the trees' shadows stretched around him.

"_... END HER!"_ the voice roared.

Brokentail felt a surge of power and darkness consumed his vision to the point that Hopeheart was barely a silhouette. With a snarl, he unsheathed his claws and lunged.

* * *

Nightpelt woke at dawn as he did every sunrise. He let out a long yawn, curling his tongue, before he rose from his nest and stretched. He silently thanked StarClan that he was a light sleeper. Otherwise, he never would've gotten used to the training system he had come up with while training his former apprentice. Waking up for dawn patrol every morning would have been far more painful otherwise.

Glancing out the entrance of the den, Nightpelt saw that the sun wasn't quite up yet. None of his denmates had awoken yet and their breathing was still deep and heavy with sleep.

He heard a faint noise of pain. His ears pricked and he thought he was imagining it but he heard it again. He frowned and picked his way around his denmates, trying to find the source. His eyes fell on Brokentail's form. The tabby was squirming in his sleep and emitting low rumbles and whines. Nightpelt frowned. _He must be having a bad dream… Or she. He was the tom yesterday, right? Meaning the she-cat is here? How does it work when they're asleep?_

Nightpelt nosed the cat's shoulder fur gently, trying to wake the cat up to no avail. The cat thrashed once before twisting around, exposing the part of the flank that was previously hidden. Nightpelt stifled a gasp. There were long claw marks visible near the ribs, staining the surrounding brown fur with liquid red.

"Brokentail!" Nightpelt hissed, frantically shaking the cat with two paws. The heartbeat the name left his mouth, he regretted it. He didn't know which cat this was and saying the name Brokentail felt wrong. Still, he didn't know what else to say so he kept shaking the cat and hissing the name quietly.

The cat suddenly jerked awake and sat up abruptly with a gasp, wild brown eyes frantic until they fell upon Nightpelt. _Wait, brown?_ He did a double take. They were definitely brown but the usual orange color began to bleed back into them as the cat began taking deep breaths to calm down. Nightpelt coiled his body around the smaller cat and began taking long, soothing laps.

"We need to talk," the cat said in a hushed, rapid voice.

"You're bleeding."

"We need to get out of here," the cat said, waving loosely at their sleeping clanmates.

Nightpelt nodded numbly as the cat rose and trotted out of the den. Almost immediately, Nightpelt realized this was the she-cat. It wasn't hard to tell, she walked distinctly different from her male counterpart.

When they were a decent distance out of camp, the she-cat turned around and looked Nightpelt dead in the eyes. The brown was gone, replaced by orange, but Nightpelt could still see that he was facing an entirely different cat than the one that his clanmates believed walked among them.

"Thank you," the she-cat breathed, breaking the silence.

"What for?" Nightpelt asked, tipping his head to one side with confusion. "I didn't do anything."

"You did everything," the she-cat told him. "You were a friend to a cat who the world didn't think existed and you were there for her when she passed. Even when she was gone, you supported a cat so broken that every day, they were torn in half. One of the halves are going to disappear just like Wishvine and I'm pretty sure that cat will be me. I just… I'm going to try to live every day I have with ShadowClan like it's my last."

Nightpelt blinked rapidly, confused. "What?"

"My name is Hopeheart," the she-cat told him. "My sister's name was Wishvine and my brother's name is Brokentail. Wishvine and I died at kitting but our brother Brokentail survived so we survived through him only now some dark force stronger than StarClan is influencing him. If it consumes him, everything is over for me. I wanted to say thank you and goodbye in case I never get the chance."

Emotions swamped his heart as Nightpelt stared at the she-cat. In his mind, he could see those soft brown eyes again but this time, he saw the lithe form of a cream grey she-cat to frame it. He blinked once and he saw the brown tabby tom's orange eyes staring back at him.

For some reason he would never understand, Nightpelt chuckled. "You really are two cats. It's nice to meet you, Hopeheart."

Hopeheart's eyes glowed and she purred. Nightpelt matched it and leaned his head against her.

"You were the best apprentice any cat could have asked for and I'll do everything I can for you. If you can't survive, I'll make sure you live your life to the fullest until you can't anymore."

* * *

**Author's Note:** I like the quote for this chapter. I was going to use another one but I read that one and knew it as perfect.

I did something kind of like this in my other story The Wrong Pawsteps and that bothers me that I did pretty much the same thing twice but I think you guys will like where this is going.

Guys, the new pokemon game came out. I wasn't that excited for it this time but once I started playing, I got all those old feelings back. I have no idea why people are complaining so much. It's an amazing game. If you're playing the game, let me know how you're doing. I'd love to hear what kind of pokemon you have on your teams.


	15. Threatened

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokentail or Hopeheart's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokentail. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokentail so it will say Brokentail but it might not be Brokentail. Two minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokentail's body in the real world.

When it is Runningnose's POV, Runningnose will call the cat he sees Brokentail until he knows which one it is and will refer to Hopeheart as female due to knowing she is a she-cat.

Nightpelt knows that Brokentail is two cats. He knows their names and genders so he will refer to them by the correct names and pronouns.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_Preserved along with it, like stale air in an unopened room, was the well known fear which had surrounded and filled those days, so much of it that I hadn't even known it was there. Because, unfamiliar with the absence of fear and what that was like, I had not been able to identify its presence." _

~A Separate Piece

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* * *

The world was dark. Why was it so dark? She didn't understand. She knew she was gone… Why wasn't she in StarClan? StarClan lived in Silverpelt but she always thought their hunting grounds would share the light of the stars, not the darkness of the night sky. She could barely see a few mouse lengths in front of her nose.

She wandered. For days, she wandered. Maybe moons. She could sense a canopy of leaves overhead, blocking the view of the sky. She didn't know how much time had passed. She just knew that this forest of black trees was endless. She didn't know if she could handle much more of it.

The she-cat knew she was dead so she didn't tire. Still, she would stop on occasion, her mind overwhelmed by the sheer darkness surrounding her. It was no void, the number of trees was plentiful, but the sudden loss of being around other cats and seeing the beauty held by the world made er want to yowl in grief. The only thing that kept her from snapping was what she saw when she rested her head on her paws to rest.

Pale ginger fur, not that dark tabby brown; lithe paws, not heavy ones; that distinct feeling of being herself, not someone else… She wasn't another cat. She wasn't Brokentail. She wasn't broken anymore. She was finally her own cat. She just wished she could finally be happy when she got her own body. This dark place was certainly not a happy place.

One day when she was padding through the forest, a light tricked through the trees in the distance. For a few heartbeats, she thought she had finally lost her mind but as she kept walking, the outlines of trees bled into view and the solid black background slowly turned to white.

Hope sparked in her chest. Light… Was this the end? She had left the realm of the living but her spirit still lived. Was it all going to end now? Or was she finally going to get to hunt with StarClan? Either way, the idea of getting away from this place made a purr rumble in her throat.

The purr was cut off by a weight suddenly crashing onto her back. She let out a yowl of surprise and twisted, trying to throw it off to no avail. In a moment of panic, she had no idea what it was.

Four sets of claws dug into her shoulders and flank, causing her to hiss in pain. Her attacker was most certainly a cat.

"Get off!" the she-cat yowled, voice cracking. She was so close. She wanted to leave so desperately. She couldn't let this cat stop her. "Please. I just want to leave!"

The cat on her back pinned her to the ground and leaned forward so her muzzle was directly next to her ear. The cat let out a low chuckle. "Wishvine, Wishvine, Wishvine. There's no leaving the Dark Forest."

Wishvine yowled as the cat sank her teeth into the muscle around her beck. The she-cat grabbed her by her scruff and dragged her away from the light. She struggled against her grip but she was pulled back into the darkness so deep that she wondered if the light she saw was real or just a figment of her imagination.

* * *

One of Stumpypaw's knees gave out mid stride. At first, he just stumbled but his paws couldn't find their footing fast enough to keep him crashing down onto the forest floor. He hissed in pain as his skin seared the ground and a burning sensation shot up his legs.

Brokentail was at his side in a heartbeat. "Are you okay?"

Stumpypaw remained lying in the dirt. He lifted his head half heartedly before letting it fall. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. _I'm so tired._ "Yeah. I'm just… Let me rest for a bit."

Brokentail frowned and Stumpypaw instinctively curled up a bit, scared, but he didn't move. Instead, he merely tucked in his haunches and sat beside him. "Let me know when you've caught your breath. Lapping around the sycamore clearing might be too tight of a path for you right now. Once your back on your paws, we're going to move closer to the Thunderpath. There's a lot of open land around there."

"Brokentail…" Stumpypaw started, "why are you having me run so much? I mean, I thought a warrior was supposed to know how to hunt and fight."

Brokentail's orange eyes gazed down at him. There was a tenderness in them, almost a sadness. "Sometimes, you'll need to run. There are some enemies you can't fight. You might not even be able to run from them but you have to try."

Stumpypaw looked at him in confusion. "Isn't a warrior supposed to fight? The warrior code says a warrior must fight for his clan. Why would I run?"

Brokentail put a paw on his shoulder but there was no force behind the gesture. "The clan is important but you are too. If there's a danger to you but not the clan, wouldn't you try to protect yourself?"

"I guess…"

"Then you need to learn how to run," Brokentail told him. "Warriors may fight for their clans but above everything, we must survive. And that means being able to run too."

Stumpypaw sat up to look at her mentor levelly. "You sound like… I don't know, like you think something is going to happen."

"What did I do yesterday?" Brokentail asked suddenly.

"What?"

"I trained you yesterday. What did I do?" Brokentail repeated.

"I don't..." Stumpypaw frowned. Brokentail lifted a paw and hit him sharply in the flank. Stumpypaw yelped. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Does that jog your memory?" Brokentail questioned. His voice was serious and the softness in his eyes had hardened into something far more intense. "You're hurt. How did you get hurt?"

"We were training yesterday and you shoved me and I fell," Stumpypaw told him, exasperated. "Why are you asking? You were there. You were the one who did it."

Brokentail seemed to ignore him. "The clan is important but the system is flawed. Our clanmates walk beside danger everyday but loyalty keeps them from running. You need to know how to run, Stumpypaw."

"From what?" Stumpypaw asked. He was so confused. "I don't understand."

"You need to know how to run from me, Stumpypaw," Brokentail said. His eyes were so intense that they almost glowed like fire. He lifted his muzzle, staring up at the sky. "Some days, I'm not myself. And some days I'm more myself than others. A mentor should not hurt their apprentice. A cat shouldn't be aggressive or violent or vicious but I am. Sometimes. When that happens, you need to be careful. You need to run."

Stumpypaw's mind whirled. _He's training me to run… from him? Why?_

"Nightpelt is well experienced," Brokentail told him. "Talk to him and you might understand. You can learn to adapt. He can teach you how to stay safe. And if you can't… run. Always run."

"Run where?"

"To Runningnose," Brokentail told him. "Or Yellowfang. They'll keep you safe."

"From you?" Stumpypaw questioned. "Brokentail, if you wanted me to be safe…"

"I'm not Brokentail," the cat told him gently. "Sometimes I am, sometimes I'm not. Today, I'm not Brokentail but I can't control what he does when he's here. I don't think I'll be around much longer. I just… I want to know you'll be okay once I'm gone."

Stumpypaw blinked and nodded slowly. He understood exactly what his mentor was saying and yet he didn't at the same time. He felt lost. He couldn't completely… He had so many questions but it seemed he wasn't going to get them answered today.

"Come on," his mentor said, rising to his paws. He beckoned Stumpypaw with his tail. "Let's get back to training."

* * *

If he didn't understand what his mentor was talking about yesterday, Stumpypaw certainly did today.

"Again," Brokentail snapped. He paced around the training clearing with sharp pawsteps. "You're never going to learn this move if you don't put more effort into it, Stumpypaw."

_I'm never going to learn it if you keep pushing me down,_ Stumpypaw growled in his mind. He pushed himself back to his paws, taking a moment to find his balance, and braced himself for another round.

"This move requires you to keep your balance while keeping low," Brokentail lectured as he circled him. "Use your tail to balance."

_I know that,_ Stumpypaw grumbled. _What does he think I use my tail for? Fishing?_

"This is a fairly common move," Brokentail told him, "but it can be hard to master. Cats from other clans will keep an eye out for it and know how to counter it. You need to know how to fight cats who know what moves you're going to use against them."

_That doesn't make any sense. _Stumpypaw lowered himself so his belly fur barely brushed the ground. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on his mentor's knees. _I can do this. Just yesterday I found out the knees are a weak point. Maybe if I target those…_

"I'm waiting," Brokentail told him. "In battle, your opponents aren't just going to just keep circling you like this. I'm going easy on you. Now attack."

Stumpypaw clenched his jaw muscles, ignoring the slight pain that came with doing so after his hanging punishment, and lunged. He kept low, propelling himself with his back legs while his forepaws stretched forward to land a solid blow.

Brokentail skidded back before he could make contact and neared up onto his hindlegs so he towered over the apprentice. Knowing he messed up, he looked up. Stumpypaw was fully prepared to have his mentor come crashing down on him and pin him down. He was not prepared to see Brokentail's claws out and orange eyes wild with thrill.

Adrenaline pumped through his body and his usual submissive nature vanished in a heartbeat as his survival instincts took over. He didn't know he had it in him until he was throwing himself on the ground and rolling out of Brokentail's path.

Stumpypaw was back on his paws in a crouch staring in his mentor's direction when Brokentail landed. The tom was back up quickly and looked ready to pounce again. "Good. Maybe there's a warrior in you yet."

Brokentail jumped at him again and this time Stumpypaw did not react fast enough. He tried to move but Brokentail barreled into him. Stumpypaw found himself trapped under the other cat's greater weight at an awkward angle. His head, tail, and one paw were free but his flank and other three legs were pinned under Brokentail's body. He struggled but he couldn't throw his weight off him.

Stumpypaw yowled when he felt claws rake down his tail. Pain shot up his tail and he tried to get away but he couldn't get free. _What's he doing? Even on his bad days, Brokentail's never done something like this. What happened? _His eyes went round with fear. _What's he going to do to me?_

An idea suddenly flashed in his mind. Stumpypaw let his body go limp. Brokentail, who had previously been pushing down against his thrashing muscles, stumbled at the sudden loss of solidness under his paws.

A moment was all he needed. With less pressure holding him down, Stumpypaw curled his body and slid out from under him. He heard Brokentail hit the dirt but he didn't pause to watch. Words from yesterday ran through his mind. Sometimes a warrior had to run and Stumpypaw understood that now. He couldn't win this fight and there was nothing at stake here more than his own well-being. He needed to get away.

* * *

Nightpelt closed his eyes, enjoying the warm sun on his dark pelt. Yellowfang was sunning alongside him just outside the medicine den. They weren't sharing tongues, just enjoying the warmth and the company.

"Are you going to help?" Runningnose asked, sounding a bit annoyed, as he set poppy seeds out on a leaf to dry in the sun.

Yellowfang flicked her tail lazily. "You're a medicine cat now, Runningnose. Let this old she-cat have some rest."

"You're not that old," Runningnose huffed. "It would be-"

Runningnose was cut off by a cat suddenly bursting through the bramble entrance, streaking across camp, and diving into the medicine den. Confused, Nightpelt and Yellowfang exchanged a glance before getting to their paws and padding over to join Runningnose in staring into the medicine den.

"Stumpypaw?" Nightpelt questioned. "What are you doing here? Is that blood?"

"Hide me," Stumpypaw begged, tucking his tail in close. Nightpelt saw long claw marks on it. Nightpelt's blood went cold. _What happened? Did he run into a group of rouges?_ He looked too scared for that to be the case.

Yellowfang ushered him into the den and grabbed some cobwebs to put on his tail. "From what?"

"He said you guys would be able to protect me when he's having one of his bad days," Stumpypaw told them. His eyes glanced between the three of them. "Please…"

"Who are you talking about?" Yellowfang asked.

"Stumpypaw!" a voice yowled from outside.

Nightpelt and Runningnose exchanged a glance. _Oh no._

"Stay here," Nightpelt told her. "Take care of Stumpypaw."

Yellowfang's eyes flashed with understanding and she nodded. With mutual understanding of that they had to do despite not exchanging any words, Nightpelt and Runningnose padded out of the den side by side.

Brokentail was approaching just as the pair stepped out. Nightpelt and Runningnose blocked the entrance, preventing Brokentail from entering. The tabby's orange eyes were livid. "Move."

"Why? It's my den. I decide who goes in or not," Runningnose said.

Brokentail moved up to him, putting his muzzle in his face. "And that's my apprentice. He just ran out on me in the middle of a training session."

"He's injured," Runningnose told him. "That's not how a training session is supposed to go."

"You're a medicine cat. You don't know the ways of a warrior."

"Maybe not but I know the ways of StarClan and I know the ways of the Warrior Code," Runningnose responded. His eyes were soft. Nightpelt could almost see pity in them. "What happened to you, Brokentail?"

"Nothing," Brokentail said. "I've been shown what I need to do to survive and ensure the survival of my clan. That includes how to train my apprentice. Now. Move."

_Shown?_ Nightpelt frowned at his word choice. _Who could've shown him that? Surely not StarClan._

"You're not acting right, Brokentail," Runningnose said. "Come on, let's just sit down and talk this out."

"You're weak," Brokentail growled. Then, without warning, he reared up onto his hind paws and scored his claws across Runningnose's face.

Surprise caused Nightpelt to freeze. For a few heartbeats, he couldn't do anything while he watched Runningnose screech and reel back. The tom took a few steps back, ducking his head. When he looked up, shock flashed in his eyes. There was something else in there too but Nightpelt couldn't quite place it. When he finally did, it confused him. It was rage. The kind that only a cat who truly cared could hold.

Runningnose's claws slid out and sank into the ground but he slowly retracted him. Nightpelt was relieved. Like all medicine cat apprentices, he had received enough battle training to defend himself but few warriors could hold their own against Brokentail. If a fight broke out between the two of them, Nightpelt would have to step in and fight his own former apprentice to keep Runningnose from getting too badly hurt.

It seemed some of their clanmates didn't share the same control. A loud battle cry was heard and suddenly Deerfoot was ramming into Brokentail.

"What in the name of StarClan are you thinking?" Deerfoot snarled in his face as he put his paws on his chest, pinning Brokentail's back against the ground. "You just attacked a medicine cat! You're own clanmate!"

"And you just did the same," Brokentail growled, kicking up with his hind paws. He nailed Deerfoot hard in the stomach, sending him tumbling back.

Before he could attack again, Tangleburr stepped in. "Back off from my brothers, Brokentail, or I'll shred you so bad that StarClan won't have anything to drag back to Silverpelt."

"I'm not going to Silverpelt," Brokentail said as he lashed out with one paw. Tangleburr blocked it and the two began grappling.

"Guys, stop," Runningnose pleaded as Deerfoot jumped into the fray. He took a step forward but Nightpelt blocked him.

"Help me break this up," Nightpelt told him. "Grab your brother by the scruff, I'll get your sister. Brokentail's going to hurt them."

Runningnose nodded and did as he was told. Nightpelt waited until Brokentail shoved Tangleburr off him before grabbing her and dragging her away from the fight like a kit. She yowled and struggled in protest. "Hey!"

"Runningnose!" Deerfoot whined as he was pulled away. "Let me go!"

To Nightpelt's surprise, Brokentail's voice joined the complaints. "Stop that!"

He looked up to see Cloudpelt sitting on Brokentail's back, keeping him from moving. The tom cuffed the tabby over the ears and glared. "Be silent."

"What is going on?" Raggedstar's voice boomed through camp as he padded over. The guilty party looked up and stiffened. Raggedpelt looked angry at first but it melted into surprise when he looked at the six of them. "Why is Runningnose _bleeding_? And why is Cloudpelt sitting on Brokentail?"

Nightpelt let go of Deerfoot scruff and padded forward, dipping his head to the clan leader in hopes of placating him. "There was a fight, Raggedstar. We were just breaking it up. Really, it's no big issue."

"Runningnose is bleeding," Raggedstar growled. "Someone attacked my medicine cat. I won't have any code breakers go unpunished."

"Oh, and who would do that?" Tangleburr said sarcastically, gesturing loosely to the nearby cats with her tail. Raggedstar looked around and his face fell. The only cats standing where the fight had been were Cloudpelt, Brokentail, Nightpelt, Runningnose, Tangleburr, and Deerfoot. Cloudpelt , Runningnose, and Nightpelt had broken up a fight and it didn't take a genius to know who had been fighting or who had attacked Runningnose. No cat would attack their own littermates.

"Deerfoot, Tangleburr, you're on den tick duty for a moon," Raggedstar barked, ignoring the two cats' protests. "Runningnose, I don't know what this was about and I don't care. Settle it. Brokentail, your apprentice will clean the dens until this is settled. Nightpelt, Cloudpelt… You take care of this. Make sure this doesn't happen again."

"Yes, Raggedstar," all six cats murmured. Raggedstar gave them a short nod before stalking off.

"Brokentail, go hunting," Cloudpelt ordered. "Go by the WindClan border and leave some scent markers. Some rabbits might run over the border. Maybe a good chase will help you calm down. Runningnose, finish whatever it was you were doing. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Stumpypaw and I will come help you two with tick duty," Nightpelt told Deerfoot and Tangleburr.

"You don't have to," Deerfoot protested but Nightpelt held up a paw, silencing him.

"That's an unfair punishment but our leader's word is the Warrior Code," Nighteplt told them. "It doesn't mean that you can't get some help."

"Thank you," Tangleburr said.

"What was that fight about?" Cloudpelt asked, looking between Nightpelt and Runningnose.

"Stumpypaw was hurt in training and left to come to the medicine den. Brokentail didn't like that," Yellowfang grunted as she walked out of the den. Stumpypaw was at her side, looking meek. Nightpelt was relieved to see he had cobwebs and a poultice on his tail.

"Come on," Nightpelt told the apprentice, making sure he fell in step beside him. "We're going to go do tick duty with Deerfoot and Tangleburr."

Stumpypaw looked confused. "Why are you…?"

"You're my kin and my friend asked me to take care of you," Nightpelt told him. "Don't worry, Stumpypaw. I'll protect you until the day I move on to StarClan."

* * *

**Author's** Note: You guys wanted to see Wishvine so here she is!

Fun fact: the move that Stumpypaw used to get away from Brokentail is called the shrimp. It is the only wrestling move that I know and the only one I ave ever used successfully. I used it once about ten years ago after failing at it repeatedly for 15 minutes when my dad was trying to teach me self defense.

This chapter's quote comes from the book A Separate Piece. It's a good book. It may be difficult for you to understand if you haven't reached High School but keep it in mind if you're interested in literary analysis, improving your writing, reading good usage of literary devices, or seeing well put together writing skills, I would highly recommend. Don't watch the movie though.

Guest with the colorful language, if you don't enjoy this story, stop reading it or at least work on your insults. Preferably, tell me what you don't like instead of being immature. What you're doing really doesn't affect me in any way.

I think the site's being buggy. I think some people missed the last chapter and I was unable to reply to some reviews. If either of those things happened to you, my apologies.

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the United States.


	16. Second

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokentail or Hopeheart's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokentail. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokentail so it will say Brokentail but it might not be Brokentail. Two minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokentail's body in the real world.

When it is Runningnose's POV, Runningnose will call the cat he sees Brokentail until he knows which one it is and will refer to Hopeheart as female due to knowing she is a she-cat.

Nightpelt knows that Brokentail is two cats. He knows their names and genders so he will refer to them by the correct names and pronouns.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory." _

~Sun Tzu.

.

* * *

"Stupid Cloudpelt…" Brokentail growled under his breath as he stomped through the pine forest. "Sending me on hunting duty like an apprentice… Telling me how to train my apprentice… Stupid piece of fox dung. I should be giving him orders."

_"You should,"_ a voice in his mind whispered. _"And you can."_

Brokentail stopped walking. The voice sounded distinctly familiar. Like it was a part of him. "Wishvine?"

_"Maybe,"_ the she-cat's voice murmured. _"I have your ambition though. I can give you the shadows."_

"ShadowClan?" Brokentail questioned as he squared his shoulders. He would do anything for ShadowClan.

_"Well, that too I suppose,"_ the voice said. Brokentail tried pricking his ears to hear it better, it was very faint, but it didn't seem to help. It felt like the voice was in the breeze but it sounded like it was coming from inside his own head. _"Taking what you want shouldn't be all that difficult provided you give in to us."_

"Who?"

_"The shadows."_

Brokentail looked around his surroundings. "I am a ShadowClan cat. I already walk in the shadows."

_"Different kind of shadows,"_ the voice told him. _"We are the shadows of the Dark Forest."_

Brokentail's tail curled. "That place I started going after Wishvine disappeared."

_"Yes. A soul for a soul,"_ the voice said. _"She is sent beyond while you live, strengthened by the shadows."_

Brokentail's orange eyes glowed. The shadows… Standing in that Dark Forest with them, he never felt better. This was an easy deal to make. "What do I need to do?"

_"Go to WindClan,"_ the voice instructed. _"Stir up trouble. It's time for you to make a grab for leadership of ShadowClan."_

* * *

Wishvine felt… She didn't know how she felt. She wasn't wandering aimlessly through the darkness anymore but she questioned if this was any better.

There was light here and that was a relief but it felt far from natural. The clearing she sat in was illuminated by a dull light, almost like a fire in the night, though she could not see where it came from. It was enough to make the sandy floor visible and to allow her to see the outline of the trees that surrounded her. The space between them was still as dark as the dead of night though.

The forest was cold, a wind periodically brushed by, chilling her, and in the distance she could hear horrid noises that she didn't even want to imagine the source of. Still, that wasn't the worst part.

There were no stars. Her ancestors couldn't see her. They couldn't protect her. And StarClan knew that she needed their protection.

Or rather, StarClan didn't know and Wishvine wished they did.

_A world with no StarClan… It's no wonder I got so lost out there. And no wonder this is such a terrible place. Their light doesn't touch this Dark Forest._

There were always two cats guarding the clearing. Wishvine didn't catch all their names or have any ideas where they came from but right now the two on duty were a silver tom and a scrawnier black one. Their names were Silverhawk and Houndleap.

"I can't believe Mapleshade is having us watch this one again," Houndleap complained as he paced around the edge of the clearing.

"Quiet," Silverhawk snapped. He was sitting a few tail lengths away from Wishvine with confidence she had never seen in any cat. Somehow, it fascinated her. She had no idea why. It made her want to spit in his face. It was getting annoying. Fascinating but bothersome.

"Don't tell me what to do," Houndleap growled. "I was here long before you ever- Hey, why aren't you complaining? Don't you have an apprentice to be training? That ThunderClan tom… What was his name?"

Silverhawk flicked his ear, ignoring the question. "Mapleshade asked us to watch this one so we will."

"Ugh, Mapleshade," Houndleap groaned. "Her pelt's barely faded. Even you're more faded than she is. She has no right to give us orders."

"A faded pelt just means that cats have forgotten what you did to end up here," Silverhawk said, sounding bored. He settled down and folded his paws, waving his tail loosely. "Mapleshade is still strong. She's the first cat to end up here in awhile, I reckon, and definitely fit to be giving orders. All the strong cats are going to StarClan these days."

"Stop talking like you're so old," Houndleap said. He sat down, tucking in his haunches, and put a paw to his chest. "Look at how faded I am. I'm from a time when there weren't so many rules in the Warrior Code. Warriors could live a little."

"You ended up in the Dark Forest. You did more than live a little."

"May I remind you that you're here too?"

"Great StarClan, you two sound like a bunch of elders," Wishvine muttered under her breath.

She barely blinked but in a heartbeat, the two cats were standing directly in front of her, hunched over so their sharp blue eyes bore into her.

"We don't say that here," Silverhawk said in a serious tone."

"What? StarClan?" Wishvine asked, tilting her head in confusion. She was fairly certain these were clan cats. Why were they so against- "Ow! Hey!"

Houndleap dug his claws into her shoulder. "Silverhawk just told you we don't say that here! And we're no elders. We're some of the Dark Forests' best, mind you."

"And even the Dark Forests' best has to listen every once in awhile," a voice said. Wishvine looked past Silverhawk and Houndleap. A tortoiseshell she-cat was padding out of the surrounding shadows. "Didn't I tell you not to hurt her?"

"She used… Y'know, the word we don't use here," Houndleap said. "I figured you'd let it slide."

"Don't figure I'd let anything slide," Mapleshade growled. "I've sent our next promising apprentice on his first steps towards taking over the clan."

"What? Hey! I thought I was going to get the next one," Houndleap barked. "Silverhawk's already training ThunderClan's next leader, you've got the RiverClan almost ready to be deputy, and Ripplestar and all the other fade-pelts are still working out who will train the WindClan cat. I thought I was getting ShadowClan."

Mapleshade rolled her eyes. "They've already decided and of course you are. I'm too busy to be dealing with ShadowClan. Ripplestar just asked me to set Brokentail's paws on the right path so you don't mess it up before the hunt's even begun."

"Brokentail?" Wishvine repeated. _What do they want with Brokentail?_

"Quiet," Houndleap snapped, hitting her with one paw before looking back at Mapleshade. "Why are we keeping this one?"

"She is bound to Brokentail's soul," Mapleshade told him. "She could be useful."

"All she's doing is sitting here," Silverhawk pointed out, "and it's a waste to have me and Houndleap keeping an eye on her. We've both been given living apprentices afterall."

"Yeah," Houndleap agreed. "Have Snowtuft or Shredtail watch her."

Mapleshade flicked her ear. "We'll let her go once we're certain Brokentail's paws are on the right path."

"His paws have been on the right path since before he was kitted," Silverhawk said dismissively. "Even you-know-who predicted it. He's got an ambition fueled by pure rage. He'd be unstoppable even without our interference."

"Hey, hey, don't say things like that," Houndleap said. "It's been forever since the Dark Forest's tried anything, let alone a big play like this one. Do you have any idea how long its been since I've had an apprentice? I'm not about to pass Brokentail up."

"No one is," Mapleshade soothed. "You're lucky to have one. He's got even more drive than Thistleclaw and more raw talent than Crookedjaw."

"And those two are better than that WindClan cat the fade-pelts choose combined," Silverheart joked. "Soon, the Dark Forest's going to control the leaders of every clan. When that happens, Brokentail- no, Brokenstar- will be a cat to be feared."

"And then we can get rid of this one," Houndleap said, jabbing at Wishvine with his paw again.

"Maybe sooner rather than later," Mapleshade told them. She looked to Houndleap. "Once Brokentail's path is secured, do what you want with her."

Houndleap's eyes gleamed. Wishvine shivered. She didn't know what to think of that. Or maybe she was shivering from hearing their plans for her brother. _Is Brokentail really capable of what they think?_

"As long as he doesn't turn mousehearted, he should be on our side by nightfall," Silverheart said. He roughly shook Wishvine by the shoulder with one paw. "Hear that? You'll be out of this place before you know it and the Dark Forest will have another clan cat on our side."

* * *

Stumpypaw bit back a hiss as Yellowfang finished putting a dressing on his tail but couldn't hide a squirm of discomfort. The stinging herbs were almost as bad as Brokentail's claws. Almost.

"Just take it easy for a few days," Yellowfang told him. "No battle training."

Stumpypaw nodded silently. _Not that I'd want to._ He shivered at the memory of the last training session. _I didn't think he could just attack me like that. He warned me too… What is wrong with him? Cats don't just snap like that._

"Your turn," Yellowfang said sharply, turning to face Runningnose.

The tom looked surprised but Stumpypaw was sure he was faking it. Afterall, he was a medicine cat too. Surely he knew what was coming.

"It's just a scratch," Runningnose protested. "I can treat it myself."

"It's on your face. I'd bet a whole moon of dawn patrols that you can't treat a wound on your face," Nightpelt said from where he was lounging in the corner of the medicine den. Stumpypaw wasn't really sure why he was there. He knew Nightpelt and Yellowfang were good friends and both Nightpelt and Runningnose were close with Brokentail but the dark tom wasn't injured. _Maybe he's just worried about me. He promised he'd look out for me. We are kin afterall._

Runningnose rolled his eyes at Nightpelt's declaration. "You already go on dawn patrol everyday."

"Which shows exactly how much faith I have in you," Nightpelt said, eyes sparkling with humor. "But just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. Let Yellowfang put something on those scratches. She's already got all the herbs out after treating Stumpypaw."

"Fine," Runningnose muttered and padded up to his former mentor. He tilted his head, giving her a clean angle to work.

"I should have you around more, Nightpelt. Normally my patients put up more of a fight. These two just rolled right over for me," Yellowfang said good naturedly as she began chewing up the herbs. After a few heartbeats, she spat them onto her paw and began applying them to Runningnose's face injuries. "You're lucky Brokentail missed your eyes. These scratches aren't serious but they're deep. He meant business."

"I'm sorry, Runningnose." The words left Stumpypaw's mouth before he knew what he was saying. He knew he meant them the heartbeat they passed his teeth though.

Runningnose looked genuinely surprised now. "What for?"

"It was my fault you got hurt," Stumpypaw said. He looked down at his paws glumly as he curled his tail around his body. "If I hadn't run here…"

"She told you to come to me, didn't she?" Runningnose questioned. "You did. You were just following orders and it was my friend who gave them. I'm not upset though. I could never blame her for anything. I'm just happy you got away."

Stumpypaw blinked and tilted his head. "She?"

"The other cat," Nightpelt said. "The one Brokentail isn't."

Stumpypaw frowned. "I don't understand… Brokentail's a she-cat?"

Yellowfang gave a mrrow of amusement. "No, mousebrain. You'll understand eventually. For now, just try to stay safe if Runningnose, Nightpelt, or I aren't around."

Stumpypaw nodded. "I will. I promise. I-"

Stumpypaw was cut off by an angry yowl coming from the entrance of the camp. The four cats exchanged a glance before rushing outside.

They were greeted by the sight of Brokentail pacing angrily in a tight circle. Raggedstar was facing him with Cloudpelt at his side.

"I found this at the WindClan border!" Brokentail growled. Stumpypaw was confused for a moment before noticing a dead rabbit on the ground. Even from a distance, it reeked of WindClan.

"Why would WindClan leave fresh-kill on our side of the border?" Cloudpelt asked. "If they were hunting, they would just take it, right?"

Brokentail stopped pacing, stalking a few pawsteps forward before stopping. "I don't know. Maybe they ran off when they heard me coming. WindClan is filled with mousehearts, I wouldn't be surprised."

The clan had long since gathered around the scene. Anger and anticipation gleamed in their eyes.

"We need to go teach WindClan a lesson!" Frogtail yowled.

"Yeah!" Toadskip agreed. "Those rabbit-chasers should know better than to step a paw over the ShadowClan border!"

"WindClan needs to learn not to mess with ShadowClan," Mudclaw growled. He looked to Brokentail. "We should go now. What part of the border was crossed?"

Stumpypaw saw an emotion flash in Brokentail's eyes but it was only for a heartbeat. He wasn't totally sure what it was. In fact, a few moments later he was positive he had imagined it.

Behind all that anger, there was a young and vulnerable cat who craved acceptance from the cats who mattered.

Raggedstar's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure this was WindClan?"

"Smell this rabbit yourself," Brokentail said angrily. "Raggedstar, we need to teach WindClan a lesson. ShadowClan demands it."

Raggedstar responded with a short nod. "Then you will lead this patrol, my son. Take Mudclaw, Frogtail, Toadskip, Cloudpelt, Mousewing, Clawface, Deerfoot, and Nightpelt. And Yellowfang. Teach them the consequences of crossing our border."

Brokentail nodded and Stumpypaw's pelt buzzed with excitement. Even if his mentor had hurt him, he was a great ShadowClan warrior and he was proud to be his apprentice. He looked to Nightpelt and Runningnose, expecting them to share his excitement. Afterall, Nightpelt was his former mentor and Runningnose was his best friend. He was wrong.

Nightpelt looked disappointed. Stumpypaw didn't know if that was the right word but the tom looked far from happy. Almost horrified. He definitely did not want to join this battle but he rose to his paws and padded to join the assembling cats with Yellowfang not far behind.

Runningnose bumped shoulders with Stumpypaw, guiding him back toward the den. "Come on. We don't need to be here."

"ShadowClan's going to battle," Stumpypaw said. He blinked up at the older tom innocently. "Why does Nightpelt look so unhappy?"

"A good warrior can recognize a pointless battle," Runningnose said, "and any cat with half a brain knows better than to jump to conclusions and start fighting. We don't know what happened."

"But we do," Stumpypaw protested, confused. "WindClan was hunting on our side of the border."

Runningnose looked at him with those rheumy eyes of his and shook his head. Stumpypaw waited, expecting him to say something but he didn't. Runningnose just padded back into the medicine den, hanging his head like the forest was crumbling around him and there was nothing he could do.

* * *

_This is a bad idea,_ Nightpelt thought as his paws crossed the WindClan border in a single stride. _This is a bad, bad idea._

Nightpelt looked on either side of him to see Yellowfang and Cloudpelt. Both were his good friends and visa versa. He was comforted to know that the two weren't nearly as thrilled for this battle as their clanmates.

"What was Raggedstar thinking letting Brokentail lead this patrol?" Cloudpelt muttered as his paws thrummed against the earth. "We did almost nothing to prepare for this battle. Cats are going to get hurt, maybe killed."

"He's being impulsive," Yellowfang growled in agreement. The ground under their paws was smooth moorland grass by now and Yellowfang was keeping up with the patrol well despite not being a warrior in many moons. "We should talk, not attack. This was just one incident. A small one. No need to react on this scale."

"Not to mention Brokentail's in trouble right now," Nightpelt added. "Raggedstar should still be punishing him, not rewarding him. And he's having you, Cloudpelt, the deputy, follow his lead. Just like with Foxheart. That's straight disrespect and clear favoritism."

Cloudpelt's tail swished with annoyance. If the trio hadn't been running, he surely would be flexing his claws. "Raggedstar made it clear that he expected Brokentail to be deputy one day. No way in the name of StarClan am I going to let myself be killed in a rash battle."

"Quit chattering," Brokentail snapped from the front of the patrol. Nightpelt narrowed his eyes in annoyance. _Who does he think he is, talking to us like that? Yellowfang's his medicine cat, Cloudpelt is his deputy, and I was his mentor. He's talking to us like a bunch of apprentices!_ Then again, any respect Brokentail had was long since gone. "I smell WindClan not far from here. Get ready."

Clawface drifted closer to Nightpelt. "I get that he' was your apprentice but he is the patrol leader right now. He's a great warrior and that's thanks to you. Have some faith in him."

"He attacked our medicine cat this morning," Nightpelt muttered darkly but Clawface didn't seem to hear him. Instead, his brother exploded into a yowl.

"There they are!" Clawface called as the patrol reached the top of the ridge. His eyes were lit up with the thrill that came before battle.

As Clawface had said, there was a group of WindClan cats below. Even though he disapproved of this battle, Nightpelt could help but feel excited. They were warriors and a cat's warrior spirit came alive during battle.

"ShadowClan, attack!" Brokentail yowled. The cats let out a wave of battle cries before charging down the ridge. The WindClan cats' eyes went wide and their ears flattened with surprise before turning tail and fleeing.

"Ha! Cowards!" Mousewing taunted. "Running before a claw is laid on them!"

"They have the terrain advantage here," Cloudpelt growled. "They can outrun us and get reinforcements."

"So we will pursue," Brokentail declared. "ShadowClan! Follow me!"

The ShadowClan cats caterwauled as they chased after the WindClan cats. Nightpelt was separated from Cloudpelt and Yellowfang but was now running alongside his brother Clawface. The other tom had an energy in his strides that Nightpelt didn't and that made Nightpelt want to wail out the distress in his heart. _He's enjoying this. This battle is wrong and pointless and he's enjoying this._

It bothered him but he tried to ignore it. WindClan's moor was vast and had an impossible distance to cross. He was tiring and his chest was begging him to stop running but the ShadowClan cats kept pushing onward.

"WindClan! Attack!" a voice yowled. Nightpelt turned to see a WindClan patrol standing atop another ridge parallel to the ShadowClan cats. Nightpelt's eyes widened in alarm. _Oh no! We didn't see them coming and now they've got us surrounded._

Nightpelt looked to Brokentail in hope that he had a plan. Brokentail's eyes were fixed on the cat standing atop the ridge. Nightpelt followed his gaze and saw WindClan's deputy Reedfeather standing still as his warriors streaked past him, yowling for ShadowClan blood. For the briefest of moments, Nightpelt thought that he saw the two toms nod to each other.

_What's that about?_ Nightpelt wondered but he didn't have time to dwell on it. There were probably a dozen WindClan cats and one of them, a warrior named Redclaw, was launching himself at him. Nightpelt hissed as the other tom rammed into him but he didn't stay down for long. Clawface rushed up behind him and bit down hard on Redclaw's shoulder, forcing the tom to stumble back and cry out in pain.

The two brothers moved so they stood side by side. Nightpelt risked a moment to scan the battlefield. Brokentail was busy fighting a WindClan tom that Nightpelt didn't recognize while the ShadowClan and WindClan deputies were engaged in battle. Their fight looked vicious. Both Cloudpelt and Reedfeather's claws were out and their teeth were bared. Already, Cloudpelt's white fur was stained with a trickle of blood as red as a rose in new-leaf.

Nightpelt could hear his clanmates fighting around him and he wasn't sure where Yellowfang was but he couldn't afford to focus on that now. He and Clawface had to take care of Redclaw. The tom's eyes were narrowed and he hunched over, ready to spring. He looked like he meant business.

"You ShadowClan mange-pelts need to get off WindClan land," Redclaw snarled as he stalked forward. "You have no right to attack us!"

"We got that right the moment you mouse-hearted rabbit-chasers caught prey on our territory!" Clawface retorted as he launched himself at Redclaw. The other tom snarled as the two crashed. Paws and teeth were everywhere, clawing and tearing at each others fur and flesh. Clawface was under Redclaw but he was fighting furiously. For a few heartbeats, Nightpelt was afraid to join in but he knew that this was his battle too and jumped into the fray.

His teeth found Redclaw's tail and he bit down hard. The WindClan cat shrieked and twisted around to claw him but the moment he turned, Clawface scored a few solid blows on the back of his neck.

"ShadowClan cowards!" Redclaw hissed. "There is no honor in ganging up on a cat."

"Complaining about it just proves that WindClan warriors are weak as kits," Clawface snarled in response.

"Oh, I'm not complaining," Redclaw said as he lashed out with his hind paws and forepaws at the same time. He still had Clawface trapped under his weight but he managed to get onto his back so his back legs stretched back and his claws made contact with Nightpelt's jaw and the front of his chest while his front paws grappled at Clawface's head and wrapped around his neck. Nightpelt hissed in pain and reeled back but it was a complex move and he couldn't help but be impressed by Redclaw's execution of it. They were fighting but the WindClan tom was worthy of his respect.

Redclaw and Clawface wrestled their way away from each other and locked eyes. Nightpelt knew these two were strong and brave warriors and weren't going to back down anytime soon. Still, all three cats were bleeding though not heavily. Nightpelt could feel blood running down his face and his injuries stung but the cats around them were still fighting and showed no sign of stopping. This battle would stretch on for awhile. Or at least that was what Nightpelt thought until he heard the screeches and hisses of combat bleed into confused and surprised murmurs.

Confused, Nightpelt dropped out of his battle stance and looked around. Clawface and Redclaw did the same. Nightpelt was surprised that it was Redclaw who pointed it out to them. "Look."

Cloudpelt was on the ground. Nightpelt couldn't see what was happening but he could see a pool of blood soaking into the grass around him. Nightpelt froze, blood going cold, before an inexplicable wave of energy overtook him and he darted across the battlefield. "Cloudpelt! Yellowfang! Yellowfang, Cloudpelt needs help!"

Nightpelt was at Cloudpelt's side in an instant. The deputy's blue eyes were wild with fear. Nightpelt could feel himself panicking but he had enough control of himself to know how to behave. _I can't let Cloudpelt see that I'm panicking or he will too._ Instead, he just let his eyes roam the tom's body for the place of injury. He nearly took a step back when he found it.

_Great StarClan! That wound is deep,_ Nightpelt thought. A nasty cut ran along Cloudpelt's throat, gushing blood and unrecognizably staining the white fur around it. _It looks just like Foxheart's wound… _

His mind immediately went to Brokentail but he could hear the patrol leader approaching. He had not been nearby. There was only Reedfeather and Cloudpelt's blood stained his paws.

Yellowfang was rushing up to them but Brokentail stepped in front of her before she could reach them. His orange eyes met hers, cold as RiverClan's waters in leaf-bare. "Don't bother."

"I'm a medicine cat," Yellowfang snapped. "It's my job to bother. Now step aside."

* * *

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the clan rock for a clan meeting!" Raggedstar yowled, voice echoing through the camp.

Runningnose poked his head out of the medicine den, beckoning Stumpypaw to follow him out. _The patrol must've come back. StarClan, I hope we didn't mess up our relationship with WindClan._ But judging by the patrol's expressions, it didn't seem like that was the case. _They look so… StarClan, don't tell me-_

"Cloudpelt is dead."

The camp went quiet and Runningnose felt his heart stop. _...What? He can't be dead… He was so young._ Runningnose looked to Yellowfang and Nightpelt. The two looked heartbroken and Runningnose felt the pain all over again. _Cloudpelt was Yellowfang's closest friend. I can't imagine how she feels._

"He fought bravely to the end but WindClan's deputy Reedfeather wounded him badly and he bled out on the battlefield," Raggedstar explained. "He asked our cats to leave and they carried his body back to camp. We will sit a vigil in memory and honor of our warrior and deputy tonight but first I must name the cat to take his place. Brokentail, will you stand by my side and become ShadowClan's deputy?"

"Yes," Brokentail said with a short nod. Runningnose's eyes narrowed. _He doesn't look upset by Cloudpelt's death at all._ The tabby tom stepped forward to stand with his father. "ShadowClan means everything to me. I will do my best to lead us to a better future."

"Brokentail! Brokentail! Brokentail!"

Runningnose lifted his muzzle and joined the chanting but his heart wasn't in it. Brokentail had changed in the past season. He wasn't the same cat he used to know. He wasn't the kit who he could share fresh-kill with after a bout of wrestling in camp. He wasn't the prickly apprentice who he could lie in the sun with after a long day. He wasn't the hunter who would excitedly tell him the story of a great catch. He wasn't the warrior who would make sure Runningnose's skills stayed sharp after many moons of no training. He wasn't the same cat who had been his friend since kithood. Now, Runningnose didn't know who he was.

Somehow, Brokentail's apprentice's loyalty shone strong. Stumpypaw's voice rang out in the calling of Brokentail's name. Runningnose didn't understand why. He'd think Stumpypaw would be the cat with the most reason to stray from him but that did not seem to be the case. _Maybe I'm overreacting._ He shook his head. _No, he is responsible for Wishvine's death and he definitely had a paw in Foxheart and Cloudpelt's deaths. I'm sure of it. Even if no other cats knows or would believe me, Brokentail isn't the cat that I used to know._

Runningnose turned and started heading back towards his den. Stumpypaw tilted his head at him. "Where are you going?"

"To prepare the healing herbs," Runningnose responded. "Our warriors were hurt today and sitting around celebrating Brokentail won't change that."

* * *

"It is done," Mapleshade announced, stepping into the clearing where Wishvine waited. "Only a few more steps and ShadowClan will be ours. Brokentail has served us well."

"You know what that means," Houndleap said, prodding Wishvine's shoulder with one paw. "Come on, run along now. Don't let us catch you again, you hear?"

Wishvine nodded meekly and jumped to her paws. "You're really letting me go?"

"Yes!" Houndleap exhasperated. "What, do you have moss in your ears? I just said that!"

"Your place is in StarClan," Silverheart said.

Wishvine frowned and tilted her head. "I don't understand… Why keep me here if you were just going to let me go?"

"Insurance," Mapleshade grunted. "Your real role of importance must happen in StarClan. So go. Before we change our minds."

Wishvine didn't need to be told twice. Ducking her head, she ran out of darkness and was plunged into darkness. She didn't know how long it had been since she left it in the first place but the blindness was not something that she would ever learn to embrace. She just wanted to bathe in the light again. And that was what she was going to do.

In less time than it would take to walk to the Fourtrees, a white light trickled into Wishvine's vision. She had thought she was imagining it the first time she saw it but now she was certain it was real and bounded toward it with a purr rumbling in her throat. Nothing would stop her escape this time.

_StarClan, here I come._

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry that so many cats are dying but I promise they all died in cannon and we're at that part of the story, okay? This hurts me more than it hurts you. I'm not going to kill random characters. I don't want to do it but all deaths are important to the story.

On another note, still no OCs. There's actually a cat named Silverhawk and there's an actual cat named Houndleap. They're pretty cool.

While I was doing my Dark Forest character research, I realized that the Dark Forest totally had a plan to take over the clans during this era. It just went really badly and somehow none of the characters were aware of it. I'm thinking about writing a story about it because I feel like I'm the only one who noticed and I've realized that I really enjoy writing about the bad guys. It was this realization that gave me that idea for the story I asked you guys about a few weeks ago.

Forgot to mention we hit 50K words a couple chapters ago.


	17. Betrayal

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokentail or Hopeheart's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokentail. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokentail so it will say Brokentail but it might not be Brokentail. Two minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokentail's body in the real world.

When it is Runningnose's POV, Runningnose will call the cat he sees Brokentail until he knows which one it is and will refer to Hopeheart as female due to knowing she is a she-cat.

Nightpelt knows that Brokentail is two cats. He knows their names and genders so he will refer to them by the correct names and pronouns.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

.

"_Betrayal is the only truth that sticks."_

~Arthur Miller

.

* * *

He was back in the dark place but he didn't mind anymore. Ever since the shadows reached out for him, Brokentail embraced the darkness and the voices that the breeze carried.

He found that he rather liked it.

"Well done," a voice said. Brokentail whipped around to see a scrawny black tom slinking out of the shadows.

Brokentail blinked a few times. "Who are you?"

"The name's Houndleap," the tom introduced. "I'm going to be the one guiding your pawsteps from now on. Your paws in the Dark Forest, if you will."

Brokentail's eyes glowed. "You're one of the ones helping me take ShadowClan."

Houndleap nodded. "That's right. And now that you're deputy, there are only two things standing in your way."

"Hopeheart and Raggedstar."

Houndleap lifted his head so their eyes met. "Your kin. Your blood. I want to know that your ambition outweighs your loyalty."

"Of course it does," Brokentail growled. "I took care of Wishvine, didn't I?"

"We took care of Wishvine," Houndleap corrected. "It was the Dark Forest that gave you the power to… extract her soul from your body and it's the Dark Forest that will give you the strength to do the same with Hopeheart."

"How do we start?" Brokentail asked.

Houndleap beckoned him with his tail. "Come with me. There are some cats I want you to meet."

* * *

"Runningnose!" Hopeheart hissed quietly as she stuck her head into the medicine den. "Oh. Hi Yellowfang."

"Nice to see you," Yellowfang said with a dip of her head as she got to her paws and walked out.

Hopeheart watched her leave for a moment before scurrying across the medicine den to talk to Runningnose. "Runningnose! Brokentail's doing something again!"

"Yeah, he became deputy," Runningnose said, looking up from where he was sorting herbs. _I feel like we've had this conversation before. Actually, I feel like we have it all the time._

"What?" Hopeheart looked surprised. "Fox dung. That actually makes a lot of sense."

"Did Nightpelt not tell you when you two went out for dawn patrol this morning?" Runningnose asked.

Hopeheart shook her head. "We both woke up really early and left and when we got back Raggedstar was angry. I guess I was supposed to organize patrols. Nightpelt was really embarrassed."

"We all really need to get on a better communication system. There's always at least one cat who doesn't know what's going on with all of this," Runningnose said, gesturing loosely with his tail. "So what were you going to tell me about Brokentail?"

"Oh right. Do you remember when I told you about running into Brokentail in that forest with all the shadows?" Hopeheart asked, sitting down next to Runningnose. The medicine cat wasn't sorting herbs anymore but he was moving them away from his paws. There talks were always far from calming and he didn't want to accidentally crush anything with nervous pacing or anxious shuffling. When Runningnose nodded, Hopeheart went on. "The shadows, they were moving. It felt like they were going to swallow me."

"Did it happen again?" Runningnose asked, concerned. He wasn't ready to lose his friend. He knew it was almost inevitable but it was too soon.

To his relief, Hopeheart shook her head. "No. I haven't been back to the Dark Forest yet. Something did happen though."

"What?"

"You know when I'm not here I'm in the dream realm. Just like when Brokentail's not here, he's in the Dark Forest," Hopeheart told him. "The place I go is the complete opposite of the Dark Forest. It's a field and there's always a lot of light. The field stretches forever. I've never wandered far but it goes on for as far as you can see."

"Did it change?" Runningnose asked. "Is it… I don't know, starting to turn into Brokentail's domain?"

Hopeheart started to shake her head then stopped. "Not quite. The borders… Well, there are borders now. They look just like the shadows from the Dark Forest. When I saw Brokentail there, he stood in a clearing surrounded by them and then they consumed him. I think the same thing's going to happen to me."

"Whatever that dark stuff is changed Brokentail," Runningnose said, putting a paw on hers and looking into her orange eyes. "You're strong though. The same thing won't happen."

"I don't think I'll change like Brokentail," Hopeheart said. "I think I'll just disappear like Wishvine."

"I know," Runningnose whispered, leaning his forehead against her shoulder. "I wish you wouldn't though. Even having you change would be better than that."

Hopeheart lapped his ear. "No it wouldn't. Even if I disappear, I'll die as myself, not another cat. And I think… I think I'll be okay with that. I just don't want to leave you and everyone else."

"Last time we had this talk you said you were going to try to live your best life before you couldn't anymore," Runningnose said. "How is that going?"

"Well, I'm deputy now so I guess I have the chance to do more for the clan now," Hopeheart told him, forcing cheerfulness into her voice. "I don't think I have much more time though."

* * *

"Again," Houndleap instructed. Brokentail gritted his teeth and reared up onto his hindpaws, lashing out his forepaws at an imaginary enemy. Once he finished, he returned to all four paws and looked at Houndleap. The tom's eyes were glowing with pride. "Well done. It's only been a moon but you are growing stronger."

"Strong enough to take out Hopeheart and Raggedstar?" Brokentail asked.

"I believe so. I did teach you the move Reedfeather used to kill Cloudpelt, yes?" Houndleap asked. Brokentail nodded. "Show me."

Brokentail did as he was told. The battlemove Houndleap had described wasn't a particularly complex one. It was rather simple, really, but it required a great deal of skill to execute. The power and accuracy had to be perfect to deal the maximum amount of damage to the most vulnerable of areas.

Houndleap gave a nod of approval once he had finished. "Well done. Did you know this move can take all the lives from a leader?"

"Really?" Clan leaders had nine lives. Brokentail knew even a monster couldn't take more than one life from a clan leader. He never would have imagined a cat could.

"The throat is vulnerable," Houndleap explained, "and no cat is immortal. If the wound is deep enough, even StarClan can't save them. Oh, they will try but those star-pelts only have so much power. They can't heal the entire wound."

"So when the leader is revived, he'll just die again," Brokentail realized.

Houndleap nodded. "Exactly."

"Which means I can kill Raggedstar."

"Provided you time it right, yes," Houndleap said. "You can't have your clanmates knowing. They would never accept you if they did and StarClan wouldn't share their power with you."

"I know what to do," Brokentail promised, "provided you and the rest of the Dark Forest is playing their part."

"We did," Houndleap responded. "Now it's time for you to wake up and end this."

* * *

"Hey, wake up," Nightpelt said, shaking Brokentail with one paw. The tabby tom opened one eye and glared at him as he pushed himself out of his nest.

"You don't have to wake me up every morning like you did when I was an apprentice," Brokentail grumbled as he got to his paws.

"Some cat needs to keep you in line," Nightpelt said goodnaturedly.

"I've been waking up at dawn for the entirety of my life since I was a kit," Brokentail deadpanned. "I've been deputy for a moon."

Nightpelt flicked his ear. "And you need to go organize dawn patrol so quit complaining."

Brokentail was still muttering as he walked out of the warriors' den. Nightpelt curled his tail in amusement. At times like these, it was easy to forget the cat Brokentail had become and remember the good old days. Deep down, Nightpelt still thought of Brokentail as the apprentice who he would race during dawn patrol and tease about messy fur. He knew that cat was long gone now. Brokentail wasn't his friend. If anything, he was an enemy who he shared a den with. He wasn't ready to give up on him yet though. Hopeheart was threatened by him but she hadn't declared Brokentail evil yet so Nightpelt allowed himself to have some hope. He doubted that Brokentail was going to change his ways and Nightpelt didn't know what he was planning to do next but he was sure there was a chance his paws would follow a different path. He was still young, barely a season cycle old. He had his whole future. He could change.

Nightpelt padded out of the den and hung at the edge of the cats who had woken up to listen for the schedule. Brokentail had become a natural at giving orders and organized the patrols flawlessly with an authority that Cloudpelt and Foxheart had always lacked. _He's so much like his father,_ Nightpelt thought. _I'm sure that's why Raggedstar holds him in such high regard. Partially at least._

Once he was finished, Brokentail moved away from the clanrock and approached his former mentor. "Ready?"

Nightpelt could help but feel warmed by the fact that Brokentail was so willing to keep going on dawn patrol with him like this. _It's about time too. He's been fighting me for seasons._ "Where to?"

"The WindClan border," Brokentail said. "I want to make sure WindClan isn't stirring up anymore trouble."

Nightpelt still had his suspicions about what went on a moon ago but he said nothing. "Alright. I don't think that there will be anything there though. But I suppose refreshing the scent markers won't do any harm."

Brokentail responded with a wordless nod and took off in the direction of WindClan territory with Nightpelt not far behind.

The pair crossed the territory and hadn't even broken the edge of the forest when Nightpelt's nose was flooded with WindClan scent. At first, he thought he was mistaken but he soon was certain of it. _WindClan? What are they doing so far over the border?_

Brokentail growled and broken into a run. Nightpelt lingered for a few seconds, taking in the scent, before joining him. When he caught up, Brokentail's nose was pressed to the ground and he was furiously clawing the ground.

"How dare they?" Brokentail growled. "Crossing our border…"

"This far too," Nightpelt said, glancing over his shoulder to look into the pine forest. "There's no way they would have gone that far without stealing prey."

Brokentail flexed his claws. "WindClan will pay."

"I'm sure they will," Nightpelt said, turning back in the direction of camp. "Come on. We need to go report this to Raggedstar."

* * *

"WindClan? Crossing our border?" Raggedstar repeated, looking between Nightpelt and Brokentail. The three cats were sitting outside Raggedstar's den. The leader hadn't expected anything to happen today and had been surprised when the two approached him. _This is not good news. It hasn't been that long since WindClan's deputy killed Cloudpelt. The clan is still recovering. We can afford another battle but I wanted to avoid one. WindClan might not be giving me a choice though._

Nightpelt nodded in confirmation. "Their scent was deep into the pine forest. It was no accident."

"Did you talk with them? Did you find any prey?"

Nightpelt shook his head. "No. We came here to report as soon as we could. We didn't wait for another patrol or stop to check for prey scents."

"I thought the two of us could go check it out," Brokentail suggested. "We need to decide the best course of action and I think we could best do that if we both knew exactly what was going on."

_That's my son,_ Raggedstar thought with pride. "Good idea. Nightpelt, you're in charge while we're gone."

Nightpelt dipped his head. "Thank you, Raggedstar. May StarClan light your path."

"We're just scenting the border, not invading WindClan," Raggedstar huffed with a roll of his eyes. "You do not need to worry, Nightpelt."

"Anything can happen, even to the clan leader and deputy," Nightpelt said ominously. "Especially the clan leader and deputy. Just be careful."

Raggedstar had to admit that the warrior's concern was comforting. "Of course. Let the clan know if anyone asks, will you?"

Nightpelt nodded and Raggedstar trotted out of camp, Brokentail close behind. "Where was it that you found the WindClan scent?"

"This way," Brokentail told him, pointing with his tail before taking the lead. "It's all over the forest. You can't miss it."

It did not take long to reach the place that Brokentail had described. The warrior was right. The area was drowned in WindClan scent. Raggedstar growled and dug his claws into the earth. _WindClan… How dare they? They steal prey from ShadowClan territory and kill the ShadowClan deputy and now have the nerve to walk all over our land like it's theirs? I wanted to settle this peacefully but it seems Harestar is leaving me little choice._

"Over here," Brokentail said, beckoning his father with his tail. "There's this strange scent over here by the border. I want to know what you think of it."

Raggedtstar made his way over and leaned down to smell the spot Brokentail had asked him to sniff. "I don't smell anything out of the ordin-"

Raggedstar was cut off by a searing pain in his neck. His eyes went wide, almost the entire sclera of his eyes becoming visible, as he let out a strangled choke. He felt his legs go weak and give out under him but he barely felt his body hit the ground. The pain in his neck was sharp and overwhelming. He couldn't feel much else. _Why does it hurt so much? Where did it come from?_

He could see his son standing over him when he looked up at the sky. _The sky is so blue… Brokentail's eyes are so orange… Just like his mother's. Don't miss me when I'm gone…_ Mentally, he paused. _Wait. I have nine lives. I'll be fine. I hope the pain just stops soon so StarClan can hurry up and heal me._

Black spots began to enter his vision. Despite the pain, Raggedstar could feel a paw on his shoulder. He tried to tell Brokentail that everything was going to be okay but thanks to the wound on his neck, that was impossible. The only sound that left his lips was a gurgle wet with blood.

The darkness slowly overtook his entire sense of sight and Raggedstar felt his body relax. He slipped into a painless bliss and felt a strange sensation as his life left him. When he opened his eyes, he was standing in StarClan.

"Cedarstar," he greeted when he saw the dark grey tom standing in StarClan hunting grounds. "It's good to see you."

"No it's not," Cedarstar responded. "The only time we see each other is when you die."

"True," Raggedstar hummed. "I do wish we could see each other under better circumstances."

"I do as well," the former ShadowClan leader told him. "I was going to warn you of this last night but another force stopped you. I'm sorry. I have failed you."

Raggedstar blinked in confusion. _What kind of force is powerful enough to stop StarClan?_ "Don't be sorry. You have never failed me. It's the life you gave me that's going to allow me to return to my clan."

"I gave you a life for judgement," Cedarstar reminded him. "It seems I've failed you."

"What?" Raggedstar blinked and tilted his head in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Wake up and you will," Cedarstar told him.

Raggedstar was suddenly thrown back into the real world again. As his eyes snapped open, he felt his neck explode with pain. He tried to yowl but his voice was still garbled. _Why does it hurt so much? Why is the wound still there? Didn't StarClan heal it?_

Raggedstar's amber eyes roamed the area and fell on Brokentail. His son was the only cat there. _What was it that hurt me then? I was almost certain that a WindClan cat had attacked or that I had fallen on a sharp stone but there's nothing here that could have hurt me like that._ Raggedstar was still lying on the flat ground with Brokentail crouched over him. He wheezed and reached out with one paw helplessly. _Please… Help me._

Black flooded his vision again and Raggedpelt found himself back in StarClan facing Cedarstar once more. The old tom looked sad.

"Why am I back here?" Raggedstar demanded. "Can't StarClan heal me?"

"We're trying," Cedarstar promised. "Some wounds are more difficult to heal than others. In your time as clan leader, you haven't lost any lives so there's hope. You just lost your second. You still have seven more. Just stay strong, Raggedstar. You will make it through this."

_Wounds so bad that StarClan can't heal them?_ Raggedstar couldn't believe it. "What was it that hurt me? Why was it so bad?"

"Go back and see for yourself," Cedarstar told him.

Raggedstar was suddenly back in his body on that moorland ground. He struggled to sit up and look around only to fall back down as a wave of pain radiated from his neck. As his legs forced him to collapse again, he felt his paws slide in something. His eyes rolled downward and he saw that he had slipped in his own blood.

Brokentail was still at his side. "Just lie down. Don't fight it. It will all be over soon."

Raggedstar's senses were disoriented, his vision was blurry and everything didn't quite sound right, but his son's words cut through it all clearly and it comforted him. _He's right. It hurts now, it hurts so bad, but StarClan can save me._

Everything blurred into black again and Raggedstar was back on StarClan's hunting grounds with Cedarstar. "This is getting repetitive. Everytime I go back, it doesn't feel like anything's happening. Are you sure you're healing me?"

"Yes," Cedarstar told him. "I would take you to see the place that StarClan is drawing its power to save you but the process mustn't be interrupted. Have faith and stay strong."

_That's what you told me last time,_ Raggedstar mentally grumbled. "I still don't know why I'm dying."

"Go back and see for yourself," Cedarstar told him again.

Now that he was expecting to return to his body and feel the pain, it wasn't quite so jarring but Raggedpelt still wanted to yowl his heart out. He couldn't explain how excruciating it was. Waves of it rippled through his body, coming from the open wound in his throat. He could feel blood gushing out of it like a river. Raggedstar almost wished StarClan would just stop and let him die. It hurt so much.

He blacked out again and faced Cedarstar once again. "It's not working!"

"I know!" Cedarstar snapped. "Your wound is too deep. We're working on it. Just try to relax."

"How in the name of StarClan can you expect me to be relaxed at a time like this?" _I'm dying for Siverpelt's sake!_

"We are StarClan," Cedarstar sighed. "Do you know why you're dying?"

"No."

"Well then quit complaining and look harder!" Cedarstar snapped. Raggedstar wanted to take a step back in shock but even the projection of his spirit couldn't move. _Cedarstar is losing his cool. It has to be bad if he's this stressed about it. I've died four times. I only have five more chances and I'll be up here in Silverpelt permanently. _

In a heartbeat, Raggedstar was back in his body. He was getting tired of this. The grass felt sticky under his pelt and it was incredibly disgusting as well as alarming knowing that it was because of his own blood. Raggedstar remained still this time. He didn't want to make the wound worse. His eyes looked up at Brokentail. The tabby was still with him.

Raggedstar opened his maw but didn't try to speak. He wanted to more than anything save perhaps for the wound to be healed or to finally die but he didn't. Cedarstar told him to let StarClan do their work so that was what he was going to do.

"Five more chances," Brokentail whispered as Raggedstar was tossed back into Silverpelt.

"It's not working!" Raggedpelt exclaimed.

"By the stars, don't you think I know that? Stop saying it!" Cedarstar snapped. "Make yourself useful and figure out what did this to you."

"You mean you don't know?"

"Of course I know! I'm StarClan but you wouldn't believe me if I told you. You have to see it with your own eyes," Cedarstar told him. "You just lost your fifth life. You have four more. Make good use of them."

_That sounds so optimistic,_ Raggedstar snarked sarcastically in his mind as he opened his eyes in the field for the fifth time. He tried to lift his head but it only made it half a mouse-length off the ground before pain shot back up from his throat and forced him to rest it on the grass again.

Raggedstar's eyes fell on his son. Even now after waking up to the pain so many times already, his son was all he could focus on. He opened his mouth again but this time, he tried to speak. "Brokentail…"

He coughed, blood coming up and splattering onto the grass. His eyes rolled back and he struggled for breath but he quickly he realized he wouldn't be able to find it so he kept trying.

"What…" he croaked before the black smudges swimming in his vision overtook him once more.

"Try harder," Cedarstar said when Raggedstar looked at him.

"You try harder!" Raggedstar retorted. "I only have three lives left!"

Cedarstar didn't respond this time. He merely flicked his tail and Raggedstar was back on the ground. Raggedstar let out a low, broken noise and began thrashing. _I'm going to die!_

Brokentail leaned over him, orange eyes meeting amber. He hovered hardly a whisker away from his face. "It's almost over, father."

_Don't you think I know that?_ Raggedstar wanted to yowl. _Go find whatever did this to me!_ Raggedstar blinked. _He has to know. Come on Brokentail. Tell me what killed me._

If Brokentail said anything, Raggedstar didn't hear since he was back in StarClan. "Cedarstar!"

"Quit panicking," Cedarstar snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you this? Geez. Young cats. It's like they stuff moss into their ears every morning."

"I think my reaction is perfectly reasonable," Raggedstar said coolly. "How close are you?"

"Close," Cedarstar promised. "I think you will survive this."

"Oh thank StarClan," Raggedstar exhaled.

"One more time should do it."

"Mouse dung!"

"Don't worry, it'll give you a chance to figure it out before you fix things."

Raggedstar wanted to claw Cedarstar in the face. This repetitiveness was long since tiring. _I guess dying this many times is a gift in its own painful way. If I only died once, I never would figure out how I was dying. I need to figure it out this time._

Raggedstar's eyes roamed the area. Once again, they landed on Brokentail. _Thank StarClan he's still here. I don't know if I'd be able to handle this without him._

Standing in the field of green with the blue sky and moor ridges behind him, Brokentail's brown tabby pelt was stark. Maybe that was why Raggedstar kept focusing on him. _It stands out against all the other colors… The red on his paws does too… Wait. Wait…. Oh StarClan! How could I have been so blind?_

Realization overtook Raggedstar as he was thrown back into Silverpelt.

"I think we've healed you this time," Cedarstar reported.

"That's not important!" Raggedstar exploded. He paused. "Well, it is. Thank you. But-"

"Brokentail tried to kill you," Cedarstar interupted. "He failed and he now must face the consequences."

"My own son," Raggedstar said. "I can't believe this…"

"StarClan sent many warnings," Cedarstar told him, "but I suppose that they didn't reach the right cats nor did those cats listen."

"Warnings?" Raggedstar questioned.

"Your medicine cats know of the terror that Brokentail will bring," Cedarstar told him. "Now it's time for you to go back and prevent it."

Raggedpelt was suddenly back in the field and he knew it was the last time. He squeezed his eyes shut, expecting to feel that pain in his neck, but it was gone, reduced to a mere ache. Slowly, he opened his eyes and blinked. _Cedarstar was right. They saved me._

Raggedstar rose to his paws. He turned his head swiftly, eyes falling on Brokentail. The tabby tom looked clearly surprised. Raggedstar's eyes narrowed lividly as anger erupted in his chest and echoed in his bones. The betrayal stung deep but the rage overpowered it. "Thought you could kill me, did you?"

Brokentail took a step back and shook his head. He blinked innocently. "It wasn't me. It was a fox. I chased it off."

"There is blood on your paws," Raggedstar growled. It made his throat hurt but he could feel that the wound was closed. Raw but closed. Speaking wouldn't cause more damage, he was certain of it.

"I tried to stop the bleeding," Brokentail told him. "It just wouldn't stop so I thought I would leave it in the paws of StarClan. It looked like it was a hard wound to heal. Your body kept convulsing and you kept losing consciousness. I was so scared you wouldn't wake up."

Normally, Raggedstar's heart would reach out for his son. But not this time. "Cedarstar confirmed the truth. You're a liar, Brokentail. You didn't learn that from being my son. What or who is making you do this?"

"Nothing is making me do this more than my own ambition," Brokentail said, demeanor suddenly changing into something darker. "I will admit that I had some help. The Dark Forest has a cat in WindClan who convinced a patrol to cross the border so I could take you here to investigate it but even without them, I would have found a way to dispose of you. I'm just disappointed that Houndleap's move wasn't enough to take all of your lives."

_Dark Forest? A WindClan cat? Houndleap?_ Raggedstar's mind whirled. "What are you up to, Brokentail?"

"Nothing," Brokentail responded. "The Dark Forest just wants to make the clans what they could have been and I'm willing to work with them to make ShadowClan they greatest clan it can be. Unfortunately for you, you're in the way of that."

Raggedstar was on guard so when Brokentail's paws came flying at his vulnerable throat again, he managed to react quickly enough to block the blow but he wasn't expecting a hind paw to rake down his soft underbelly. Raggedstar yowled in pain. _That's no ShadowClan move. He's only balanced on one paw! That's closer to a ThunderClan move if anything. Only ThunderClan cats know how to use their tails to balance like that._

Raggedstar stumbled back and tried to strie back but Brokentail was too quick for him. He weaved between his raised paws and butted him in the chest, sending him tumbling. Raggedstar tried to get back up but he was still weak and couldn't avoid getting pinned by Brokentail.

"I'll finish you this time," Brokentail growled in his face, sinking his claws into his father's chest.

Raggedstar's face screwed up in pain but he forced himself to glare right back at Brokentail defiantly. "ShadowClan will never welcome you as their leader and StarClan will never accept you as a cat worthy of their power. You won't get your leader name or your nine lives, Brokentail."

"Really?" Brokentail questioned before leaning forward to speak quietly into Raggedstar's ear. "Watch me."

And then bolt of pain shot through Raggedstar's throat for a ninth and final time. ShadowClan's leader was dead within heartbeats.


	18. Destiny

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

**Author's Note:** Whenever it's Brokentail or Hopeheart's POV, all other cats think that they are speaking to Brokentail. When it is another cat's POV, they think that they are speaking to Brokentail so it will say Brokentail but it might not be Brokentail. Two minds, one body. They take turns inhabiting Brokentail's body in the real world.

When it is Runningnose's POV, Runningnose will call the cat he sees Brokentail until he knows which one it is and will refer to Hopeheart as female due to knowing she is a she-cat.

Nightpelt knows that Brokentail is two cats. He knows their names and genders so he will refer to them by the correct names and pronouns.

I understand this is confusing but this is narrator unreliability and necessary to the story.

* * *

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"_Hey, sister. Know the water's sweet but blood is thicker."_

~Hey Brother, Avicii

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* * *

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the clan rock for a meeting!"

Yellowfang stuck her head out of the medicine cat den at the sound of the voice echoing through the camp. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure that Runningnose was following. He had a troubled expression. A heartbeat later, Yellowfang realized why. _That was Brokentail, not Raggedstar._

Runningnose locked eyes with Yellowfang for a moment before pushing past her to pad out into the camp. Yellowfang trailed after them and the two took their seats near the head of the clan. As the rest of their clanmates trickled out of their dens and dropped their fresh-kill, Yellowfang realized something was wrong.

The first thing she noticed was that Raggedstar was nowhere in sight. Once Nightpelt and Stumpypaw came to sit with her and Runningnose, Yellowfang bumped her shoulder against Nightpelt's, silently asking if he knew what was going on. He shook his head but the look in his eyes was more alarmed than Yellowfang expected. He knew something she didn't.

The second thing she noticed was the blood stains on Brokentail's paws and the gashes along his shoulders, chest, and flank. Clearly, he had just seen battle. Yellowfang felt Runningnose stiffen next to her. She closed her eyes for a few moments. _I'm sure everything is fine._

Brokentail's gaze swept over the clan from where he sat atop the clan rock. His expression was unreadable but emotion swamped in his eyes. "ShadowClan, I'm afraid I have some very grave news. Raggedstar is dead."

Yellowfang felt her blood run cold. _What? _

The clan was silent for a few heartbeats before breaking into noise.

"What? How can he be dead?"

"He was gifted nine lives from StarClan!"

"Raggedstar was so young."

"How? What happened?"

"Was it WindClan? Badgers?"

It all became background noise for the aging medicine cat. The world around her blurred. _Raggedstar…_ She loved him once. Not anymore, not really. She knew that she wasn't his anymore. Still, it hurt. It felt like a cat ran his claws down her heart, shattering the already broken halves. _Raggedstar broke my heart and I named Brokentail for it. Now my son's… This is so much worse. Raggedstar, I'll miss you. I hope your journey to StarClan wasn't too painful._

A voice in the back of her mind reminded her that Raggedstar had not previously lost a single life. That same voice was telling her that the journey was undoubtedly painful. But she ignored it. She needed to cling to the last of her hope, no matter how little was left.

Brokentail lashed his tail once, ending the commotion in a single motion. "During dawn patrol this morning, Nightpelt and I found WindClan scents on our side of the border."

"It's true," Nightpelt confirmed, voice ringing in the quiet. "They wandered pretty deep, past the treeline. This was no accident."

"My thoughts exactly," Brokentail went on. His tail tip twitched. "When Nightpelt and I returned, I reported to Raggedstar and the two of us went to investigate."

"And you were attacked?" some cat asked. Yellowfang couldn't tell who it was.

Brokentail nodded. "We were attacked by a WindClan patrol. Raggedstar got a nasty wound on the throat, just like Cloudpelt, and bled out in my paws. I tried to save him but the wound was too deep."

"Raggedstar had nine lives," Runningnose spoke up. His voice was hoarse with disbelief and shock, cracking halfway through his statement. Yellowfang realized that most of the clan could use some thyme just about now. "I know for certain he wasn't on the last one. Couldn't StarClan save him?"

Brokentail shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not a medicine cat. Now, I'm ShadowClan's leader."

Yellowfang knew it was coming but hearing it with her own two ears was jarring in an inexplicable way. _No… StarClan warned me so many moons ago and now Brokentail- no. Brokenstar's reign has begun. May StarClan help us all._

"We need to attack WindClan immediately!" Mudclaw growled, sinking his claws into the ground. "First they kill our deputy then they kill our leader? This cannot go unavenged!"

"I couldn't agree more," Brokentail said. His gaze cut over to the pair of medicine cats. Yellowfang couldn't help but flinch under it. His orange eyes glowed like a low moon. "Tonight, you will take me to the Moonstone and I will recieve my nine lives from StarClan."

Yellowfang opened her mouth but her tongue immediately went dry. She wanted to argue. By Silverpelt, StarClan itself told her of the terror Brokenstar would bring. She knew she couldn't do anything though. Yellowfang closed her eyes and hung her head. _This is my fault. When he was born, I saw that anger in him and I knew he would be everything StarClan said he would. I let my heart get the better of me._

Brokentail seemed to take her silence as submission. He nodded his head once before leaping off the clanrock. "We will leave at once. I need my nine lives as soon as possible to make WindClan pay for taking my father from me."

Yellowfang tried to protest but she still couldn't find the words. Thankfully Runningnose, _StarClan bless his soul_, spoke up.

"You're still bleeding!" Runningnose exclaimed. "And you haven't even washed the blood off your paws. Where's Raggedstar's body? We must sit a vigil for him."

"Nightpelt, Blackfoot," Brokentail barked. "You two will help Runningnose with the vigil preparations. Nightpelt, you remember where we found those scents. Take some cats with you to help you carry my father back to camp. Blackfoot, make sure everyone sits the vigil tonight. Yellowfang and I won't be here."

Alarm flashed in Yellowfang's chest. "Wait, we're not staying?"

Brokentail's gaze locked on her again. Yellowfang didn't flinch but the pain in her heart only grew when she saw her own eyes in his. _Oh StarClan… He may have his father's fur but he's got my eyes. He inherited more than just the color. _Yellowfang swallowed and drew her tail in close. _He's hurting just like me. He's just not letting himself show it. My poor son. I wish life had not been so harsh. I wish you didn't have to walk this path._

"Are you questioning your leader?" Brokentail demanded.

Yellowfang shook her head. Brokentail didn't react. He just turned tail and began heading out of camp. Yellowfang halfheartedly took a step after him before stopping and glancing back at Runningnose. The young tom looked sympathetic. He was the only cat who knew she was feeling this pain. _I just wanted to say goodbye to Raggedstar…_

It was almost as if Runningnose read her mind. He bounded up to her and pressed his forehead against her shoulder before lifting his muzzle to whisper into her ear. "Don't worry. I'll tell him goodbye for you. I'll make sure he knows how much you meant to him."

"Thank you," Yellowfang breathed. She cast one last look at her friends and was slightly saddened to see that Cloudpelt and Raggedstar didn't stand among the cats she called friends- the cats she could call kin- anymore. It comforted her to know that Runningnose, Nightpelt, and even Stumpypaw were still with her. _But for how long?_ a voice in the back of her mind asked. _We know what Brokentail will bring. None of them are safe in ShadowClan._

"Hurry it up," Brokentail snapped before Yellowfang could get lost in thought. "We have a lot of land to cover between here and the Highstones and not a lot of time before moonhigh."

* * *

For once, Yellowfang was too distracted and anxious to focus on the mysteriousness and beauty of Mothermouth and the Moonstone. It felt like a lifetime's worth of thoughts were storming through her mind. _StarClan warned me about Brokentail's destiny. Would they really share their power with him and gift him the nine lives and name of a leader?_

She didn't know. Even after all these seasons, Yellowfang felt like she knew nothing of the ways of StarClan.

Brokentail stalked down the long, dark tunnel with sharp pawsteps. He seemed hurried. Yellowfang didn't know why, the moon was barely out. Still, the Moonstone shone brilliantly when they entered the main part of the cave.

Through all the emotions swamping her being, Yellowfang managed to speak. "Touch the Moonstone and StarClan will bring you to Silverpelt."

Brokentail nodded wordlessly and approached the Moonstone. Wasting no time, he settled next to it and pressed his muzzle against it. Within moments, the tabby fell into a deep sleep.

Yellowfang moved to his side and took a moment to watch him lie there peacefully. Once again, she was reminded of the first time she laid eyes on him. He had looked so angry and ferocious yet vulnerable at the same time. Standing here beside him like this, Yellowfang knew that those old feelings still lingered. Brokentail was her son and would soon be her clan leader. She would follow and support him no matter what. She had to.

Sighing, Yellowfang settled beside him. She closed her eyes and touched her nose to the stone. When she blinked her eyes open, she was standing in the same field in StarClan where Raggedstar received his nine lives. Desperately, she looked around for him but he was nowhere in sight.

Yellowfang heard a deep, sharp breath sound from beside her. Without turning, she said, "Don't worry, Brokentail. Paralysis is normal. You're old life is being stripped away so that StarClan can-"

"Brokentail?" an unfamiliar voice mewed. Yellowfang was confused for a moment. The mew was distinctly female. Yellowfang whipped around. What she saw made her gasp.

StarClan's hunting grounds, normally so light and bright, were tainted with darkness. The field of healthy grass and leafy trees harshly broke into barren dirt and trees as dark as shadows. That wasn't even the most jarring thing. Beside Brokentail stood a cream grey she-cat.

"Hopeheart?" Brokentail questioned. He sounded dazed. Almost like he didn't know what happened. "Where… Oh. We're between the dream realm and the dark place again."

"Yeah," Hopeheart whispered. "We are."

"Go before they get you again," Brokentail said. His voice sounded distant. Yellowfang took a few steps towards him and saw that his orange eyes were glazed over. "Like they got Wishvine."

"They've already got you," Hopeheart whispered, her voice hardly more than a breath. She lapped his ear. To Yellowfang's surprise, he purred. Brokentail sounded genuinely happy. Hopeheart kept grooming him and broke into a purr but despite the rumble, sadness shone in her eyes.

"What's going to happen?" Brokentail whispered. His eyes were round with kit-like fear.

"You're here to get your nine lives," Yellowfang said. "Brokentail, you-"

The two cats ignored her. They seemed to be in their own world. _My son and daughter. I'm here, with them, and I don't even want to talk to them,_ Yellowfang realized. She wanted to let them have this moment. _This is precious._

"Last time I was here, the voices in the breeze pulled me in," Brokentail told her quietly, leaning his head against his sister's neck. "It… It felt good. I could always hear them and finally giving into them… It was what killed Wishvine."

"I know," Hopeheart responded. "It's not your fault."

"I'm broken," Brokentail murmured. "I'm broken- we're broken- right down the middle. It's in our nature. You're our hope and happiness. You're the one who helps us make friends and makes sure that we all keep our heads held high. Wishvine is- was- our caring side. All she wanted to do was help others. She couldn't hurt a moth if she tried. You two are the good side of us. Me, I'm our anger. I'm the fighter. I've got… I'm our ambition. And without a friendly or caring spirit to guide that…"

"You're misguided. Vulnerable, gullible," Hopeheart said. Her gaze lifted and she stared out into the forest of shadows. "It makes you listen to them."

"When I hear them, I listen," Brokentail told her. "I can't help it. It feels good. Even though I'm doing bad things. Like… Like killing our father. Hopeheart, I'm a bad cat."

Hopeheart wrapped her tail around the two of them. Yellowfang couldn't help but feel like she shouldn't be watching this tender moment between littermates but she couldn't find the willpower to step away.

"You're not a bad cat," Hopeheart promised. "I know you. Yes, your a grumpy old badger but so any cat. Wishvine and I know the real you. We know the brother that was so excited to make friends and hunt for the clan or just relax in the sunlight with his kin."

"I haven't been that cat in a long time," Brokentail sighed. He cast his gaze over his shoulder. "And I've got a feeling that cat is going to be gone forever. One of us is dying here today and either way, whichever cat walks out of here won't return to the clan as the same cat."

"I know. Whatever happens, I love you, brother, and I'm sorry."

"Me too. I love you and Wishvine more than anything and I'm sorry I wasn't the best brother and I'm sorry that I can't resist listening to Mapleshade and Houndleap."

_Mapleshade and Houndleap?_ Yellowfang tilted her head. _Who are they?_

As if on cue, a voice was carried by in the breeze.

_"Get away from her,"_ the voice growled. _"Her presence corrupts you with kindness. Step away and give into the darkness within you."_

"Together, we are a balanced cat. Our natures influence each other," Hopeheart said, drawing her tail around the two tighter. "But it's time to let go of each other."

"You make me a kit again and I make you a warrior," Brokentail murmured. He lapped her ear one last time. "But it's time for us to let go. We are our own cats."

"For better…"

"... Or for worse."

Yellowfang didn't think her heart could break any more but she felt it all over again. _Hopeheart and Brokentail are better together but alone they are different. They're all the other has. And now they're going to leave each other._

Yellowfang got to her paws as Hopeheart uncurled her tail. The medicine cat tried to take a step forward but the feeling of a tail tip on her shoulder stopped her.

Yellowfang glanced over only to be met with faded grey eyes. A pale ginger she-cat stood at her side. She too looked like her heart had just been torn apart.

"The three of us can't coexist," the she-cat told her. "There needs to be balance between the light of Silverpelt and the dark of the void in every cat. After I was thrown out, the Dark Forest began calling Brokentail and Silverpelt began calling for Hopeheart. A cat can't walk in with a paw in both places."

"Why now?" Yellowfang whispered. "Wishvine, I've only now been reunited with my kits. Why now?"

"You've seen the signs," Wishvine told her gently. "Both of them are being driven to their extremes. Brokentail is angry and destructive while Hopeheart is loving and cheerful. They've been like this for moons, no balance. The balance is finally going to be broken."

"They're going to fight each other," Yellowfang realized.

Wishvine nodded solemnly. "They're going to fight each other. And one of them is going to die."

The alarm flooding Yellowfang's body broke into sheer panic. _No! I just lost Raggedstar, I haven't even had the chance to grieve him yet. I can't lose one of my kits too._

Yellowfang turned to face Wishvine, eyes wide. "You're in StarClan. Can't you stop them?"

Wishvine shook her head. "We're not even supposed to be here."

"What do you mean?"

"Before a leader receives his or her nine lives, the old life is stripped away," Wishvine reminded. "StarClan can't interfere with the process and with Brokentail being connected to the Dark Forest, they can't watch either. This is all out of our paws."

"Then how are you here?"

"I am one of them."

Yellowfang frowned. _I don't understand._

Amusement momentarily flashed through Wishvine's apparent sorrow. "Like Brokentail said, the three of us are one. We balance each other. When that balance was upset, I was banished and the balance was even more offset. I am tied to them. If they're here, I'm here."

"Then why am I here?" Yellowfang asked.

Wishvine shrugged. "There are some things that even StarClan does not understand. Anyway, we wouldn't be able to step in if we wanted to. We can only watch."

Yellowfang didn't know if she could watch. For StarClan's sake, she was about to watch a fight knowing one of her kin was going to die at his or her littermate's paw. Hopeheart and Brokentail had only been parted for a few heartbeats and already their personas had changed drastically. The mere sight of them made Yellowfang's heart pound against her chest and echo in her ribcage. _This is too much._

Brokentail was the first to drop into a battle stance. Whole body tense, his rippling muscles were visible under his healthy tabby pelt. His tail lashed behind him. In preparation for the fight or just for balance, Yellowfang did not know but it looked angry. He crouched forward, pushing his weight down to the front of his body and pressing against the ground, ready to spring forward.

Brokentail's eyes were narrowed into thin orange slits. He wasn't facing Yellowfang but the old medicine cat could see the sheer emotion in them. He was angry, angry as the day he was born, and he wasn't willing to take defeat as an answer.

To Yellowfang's surprise, Hopeheart had just as much fire in her eyes, if not more. She wasn't angry though. No, her kind-hearted daughter had the spitfire spirit that only came from love and loyalty. Hopeheart was a cat with something to fight for and she would fight to the death for it.

The grey she-cat was smaller than the brown tabby tom. Hopeheart was lean and sleeker than her bulky, well-muscled brother but it was clear by the way she held herself that she had more control. Hopeheart moved her paws with nimble precision and the battle crouch she chose was far more calculated than Brokentail's. Still, Brokentail had power on his side.

"I won't die tonight," Hopeheart vowed. Her brown eyes held a warmth that Brokentail's orange ones never could and that made her emotion a lot easier to read. Truly, she was a warrior through and through and she would not give up on what was important. "I have so much to live for."

"Me too," Brokentail growled. He dug his claws into the ground before sheathing them again. "I've sacrificed so much, survived so much, and I've promised myself and my allies that I would become ShadowClan's leader. I've come too far to lose now."

"The clan is important but the individuals are even more special," Hopeheart responded. "I can never leave Nightpelt. He's my friend and he's already lost one of us. I'm the only cat he's got left to remind him of Wishvine. I need to stay with Stumpypaw until he grows into the best warrior the clans have ever seen. Yellowfang, she's always supported me and been willing to protect me. She's been the mother to me that I never had as a kit. And Runningnose… Runningnose is my best friend and I love him. For him, I would fight to the ends of the earth."

"You speak with strength but your words are weak," Brokentail spat. He suddenly lunged. "The truly strong fight for themselves and take what they want!"

Hopeheart reared up to block Brokentail's attack. Using her forepaws, she managed to hit Brokentail square in the chest just as he was about to make contact. Twisting him around, she slammed him into the ground but that did little to slow him. Lying on his flank, Brokentail lashed out with one paw and swiped Hopeheart's hindleg. She hissed in pain as a gash formed. She retreated a few steps, getting away from Brokentail before he could attack again, and craned her neck to inspect the wound.

_It's not deep,_ Yellowfang observed. _Just a surface scratch._ Still, Brokentail had drawn first blood and Hopeheart's fighting spirit was fired up enough to counter. Yellowfang was just an observer but the other she-cat's words had shaken her. _She's fighting for her friends. She has no kin, they're all she has. And even though Runningnose never told her of her heritage, she thinks of me as her kin. Hopeheart… Please, win this battle and save yourself and the clans._

Brokentail was almost back on his paws within a heartbeat but this time Hopeheart took the initiative. She was on him before his paws found their balance, ramming her weight into him and trying to pin him. However, Brokentail was a sturdy cat. When Hopeheart slammed into his flank, Brokentail stumbled back a couple tail lengths but didn't fall and managed to find his footing before taking a tumble into the barren battlefield by lashing his tail for balance and spreading his hind paws to widen his stance.

Despite his efforts, Hopeheart was relentless. She was in his face the whole time, somehow managing to balance on her back legs long and well enough to land several blows on his face. By the time Brokentail stopped himself, Hopeheart had her paws wrapped around his neck and her teeth were clamped down on his ear.

Brokentail yowled in pain. The ears were sensitive, no cat liked being bit on the ear. Brokentail bucked, loosening her grip, and butted her in the belly with the top of his head. Hopeheart fell back but managed to twist around to keep the spill from turning into a fatal mistake. Still, she couldn't move in time to dodge Brokentail's counterattack. Brokentail threw himself on her, crushing her under his weight, and began slashing at her with his claws on all four paws, leaving dozens of scratches on her flank, chest, and shoulders.

_They're really trying to kill each other,_ Yellowfang thought. _They're both strong warriors but one of them is going to come out on top._

The problem was that she didn't know who.

Hopeheart yowled and thrust her paws into the air, freeing them from Brokentail's move. She grappled at him but Brokentail kept up his attack. Hopeheart kept struggling but Brokentail didn't stop. Slowly, her movements slowed and she went limp.

Yellowfang's eyes widened. _Is she… No. She can't be…_

Brokentail rose, preparing to take a step back when Hopeheart exploded upward. Brokentail hadn't even moved away from her when her head shot up and her sharp, white teeth fastened around his throat.

Brokentail made a choking sound. "I can't believe I fell for that trick a second time…"

"And I bet you can't believe I'm going to kill you with the same move you used to kill our father," Hopeheart growled through a mouthful of fur. Yellowfang saw her jaw muscles clench, increasing the pressure. Blood trickled out of Brokentail's throat and down Hopeheart's chin, staining her grey chest fur.

Part of Yellowfang wanted to yowl and beg her to stop. She had to admit deep down she knew that Hopeheart had to win this fight but weather the cat be a power-hungry future tyrant or a loving, loyal warrior, these cats were her kits. She couldn't bear to see anything happen to them, even if they were inflicting it on each other. _I have to do something._

She would have stepped in. She really would have. Moons from now, she was certain she tried. But she couldn't. It was as if an unseen force was holding her paws down. Try as she might, she couldn't move them.

A heartbeat later, she realized that even if she did move she would have been too late.

"No," Brokentail growled, voice garbled from the wound on the soft part of his neck. "This is the move I used to kill our father."

Brokentail jerked his own body. For a moment, Yellowfang couldn't fathom why. He was only driving Hopeheart's teeth deeper into his neck. Then she remembered her old warrior training. Movement built up power and Brokentail was priming his paws to strike.

If Hopeheart had let go, she probably would have been able to dodge it but there was no way she could see the attack coming. She hardly blinked and there was suddenly a paw jabbed deep into her throat.

Hopeheart didn't let go of Brokentail but her eyes went wide and it was clear she was in pain. How ironic that the two siblings were holding each other in a death grip like this but Yellowfang didn't find the irony amusing. No, instead it made her feel sick to the stomach. _What lead to this? My poor, poor kits…_

Brokentail and Hopeheart stood locked like that for a few heartbeats before Brokentail's eyes became foggy and his legs began to give out. Hopeheart collapsed an instant prior to the moment Brokentail's head hit the ground. This time, neither cat got up. Blood spilled from their wounds and pooled around them, seeping into the loose dirt covering the forest floor.

"Hopeheart! Brokentail!" Yellowfang yowled. She tried to run to them but the scene around them suddenly changed. Or rather, part of it changed.

She was still standing in the field where Raggedstar had received his nine lives but the border between the Dark Forest and StarClan was gone, leaving only the meadow of Silverpelt stretching as far as the eye could see. Brokentail was standing beside her, completely uninjured.

"What happened?" Yellowfang demanded. _Where is Hopeheart?_

"The old life has been stripped away," a voice said.

Yellowfang whipped around and saw nine cats with stars in their fur standing around them, watching them keenly.

A grey furred she-cat stepped out from the group. She walked with neat pawsteps that didn't make a sound in the soil. She paused a couple fox lengths before Brokentail and leaned her head back, tilting her muzzle to the sky.

"It's time to start the ceremony," Hopeheart declared.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I am sorry. This made me really sad.


	19. Left to Live

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

* * *

.

"_I feel you crumble in my arms down to your heart of stone… But you'll never own my soul."_

~Take What You Want, Post Malone

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* * *

Brokentail stared at his star-furred sister with an overflowing deluge of emotions. On one paw, he could still feel the life in him. He had one. He had killed his sister and earned his right to his own life, something he had desired since kithood.

But what was the cost?

They had shared a tender moment before the fight began. Everything either cat said, before and during the battle, was true. Brokentail knew he was broken. Something was wrong deep down in him and the Dark Forest was taking advantage of that but he didn't care. Power was power. Power was respect. Power was love. Power was all he ever wanted.

Still, it hurt. He knew that somewhere deep inside him was a cat grieving his sisters and father. He knew that there was a cat who felt guilty. He knew there was a cat who wished he had just died. Not tonight, not by his sister's paw, but a long time ago. Before any of this began. He knew there was a cat who understood exactly who he had become and wanted it all to end.

But Brokentail knew that he had shoved that cat away long ago. Maybe that cat wasn't even him. Maybe Hopeheart or Wishvine was his conscience. Maybe Brokentail didn't have one of his own. Who knew?

He just knew that there was another, a stronger, part of him who reveled in the darkness.

"It's time to start the ceremony," Hopeheart declared, stepping back to let a dark grey tom move forward.

"I am Cedarstar," the tom introduced. He pressed his muzzle against Brokentail's forehead. "I give you a life to live by the warrior code. Remember it well, Brokentail, and let it be your guide. Wiser cats than you or I have lost their way without it."

Brokentail suddenly felt like he was being crushed by a weight greater than the Great Rock. He nearly fell but he widened his stance and forced himself to stand strong. _Great StarClan, is this what receiving a life feels like? This feeling… Do other cats feel burdened by the warrior code like this?_

After a few heartbeats, Brokentail steadied and the feeling faded. He blinked a few times and shook himself. _StarClan's power… I didn't realize how strong they were. I can't wait to have it for myself._ He lifted his head and stared at the cats crowded around him. _I'm ready._

The StarClan cats seemed to sense this and began stepping forward one by one. Part of Brokentail couldn't believe that they were doing this after all he did but the sight of each cat had a greater impact than the feeling of receiving the life itself. Almost.

_Stonetooth…_

"I give you a life for duty. Remember what you owe your Clan as well as what your Clan owes to you."

_Dawnstar…_

"I give you a life for honor. Honor is expected from all cats, but most of all, from a Clan leader. Use the honor of leadership carefully."

_Foxheart…_

"I give you a life for clear sight. Brokentail, know yourself and your destiny, but know too that destiny can be changed if you choose the right path."

_Lizardfang…_

"I give you a life for judgement. ShadowClan stands at a place where the path ahead divides. choose to follow the right path, for the good of your Clan."

_Cloudpelt…_

"I give you a life for strength. This is the time you and your Clan will stand or fall. You need to be stronger than ever."

_Sagewhisker…_

"Brokentail, I give you a life for compassion. Use it to shelter the weakest in your Clan, the kits and the elders and the sick. Use it to show mercy to your enemies and to choose the path your paw steps will follow."

Brokentail was shaking by the time that the energy of the seventh life shot through his body. He doubled over and gasped, all the feelings, burdens, and emotions catching up with him. _I don't know if I can do this… _

"Look up, Brokentail."

Slowly, Brokentail's orange eyes rolled up from the ground. The sight of the last two cats made his heart ache and he hated himself for it.

With his head still dipped, Wishvine pressed her muzzle to Brokentail's forehead. "I give you a life for truth. Without it, kin is set against kin, Clan against Clan. Hold fast to truth in all your dealings and let it guide your words."

Brokentail felt like he had been struck by lightning. The sheer force, it felt like pure electricity flowing through his veins. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt. Brokentail threw his head back and closed his eyes. _This is what power should feel like. Is this what truth is? An untainted, devastating force? If I'd known..._

The feeling died out after a few heartbeats and Brokentail had to admit he was disappointed but the next life he received would be his last one. Knowing that, he let the sudden feeling of unfulfillment be set aside and he focused on the last cat.

_Hopeheart._ His sister. The cat who had died at his paw mere moments ago. _But she killed me too,_ Brokentail reminded himself. _My spirit was stronger. She went to StarClan and I didn't. Still… It'll be strange not having her around._

Hopeheart's pelt was healthy and filled with stars, not matted with blood or marred with scratches like it had been in her last moments. Her eyes were bright and she had a tranquility to her that Brokentail hadn't expected. He opened his mouth- to say what, he didn't know- but no words left his lips.

Hopeheart didn't say anything about their fight either. What could she say? There was nothing to say. They fought and they had killed each other but it was her that StarClan claimed. Brokentail was entitled to life, she wasn't. Somehow, she didn't look upset by it.

"I give you the life for love of kin. And as a Clan leader, every Clan cat is your kin," Hopeheart spoke, touching her nose against Brokentail's head. Lifting her muzzle to his ear, she whispered, "Remember the cats who matter. The cats closest to you, give them all the love you have. Runningnose, Nightpelt, Stumpypaw, Yellowfang… Love them enough for the both of us."

Brokentail felt something bubble in his chest. No, it wasn't bubbling. It was a fire. A fierce one. It was the type of fire that could burn clean through an entire forest and still rage with heat stronger than the sun once it moved on. If the electricity was elating, the fire was a whole different hemisphere of feeling. Brokentail felt a fierce desire, one that he had felt since his kitting, to do what he knew he had to do.

Hopeheart stepped back, taking her place among the StarClan cats once more. Her eyes glowed, almost with pride. She purred before throwing her head back and making a declaration to the realm above the stars. "We now hail you as Brokenstar of ShadowClan!"

"Brokenstar! Brokenstar! Brokenstar!"

The star furred cats called his name, their voices carrying through the field. Brokenstar relished in it for a few heartbeats before his ears pricked, hearing another collection of voices in the breeze.

Brokenstar glanced over his shoulder. Behind him, he saw the lush field break into dark, barren land but he knew no StarClan cat could see it. The shadows and the Dark Forest would always be with him. Standing at the invisible border, Brokenstar saw Mapleshade, Houndleap, and all the other cats who had played a paw in the events leading up to this day. Their eyes shone with satisfaction and their heads were thrown back as they yowled his new name.

Brokenstar closed his eyes, cherishing the sound of StarClan and the Dark Forest, the two opposing realms of his ancestors, chanting for a few moments. His tail curled. _Finally… I've made it. I am the leader of ShadowClan._


	20. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Warriors

Epilogue

* * *

"_Life is beautiful. Death is brutal. And nothing can ever take away true friendship- not even tragedy."_

~Boy Meets Depression, Kevin Breel

* * *

Silence. That was all there was. Silence.

There was nothing to say. What could they say? Nothing. There was nothing to say. Runningnose couldn't emphasize that enough. There was nothing to say. Of course, there were things to say. Words could always be spoken but were they important? No. That was why there was nothing to say.

At least Nightpelt understood that. Runningnose would be eternally grateful for the older tom's companionship. They shared a mutual loss, a mutual friendship, a mutual feeling of hopelessness.

Neither cat knew what was going to happen. And they didn't want to. Runningnose could say with absolute certainty that denial of the inevitable was far better than facing the truth.

_She was my best friend,_ Runningnose thought, looking up in the direction of the sky. _And I think I loved her. We could never be but no cat ever made me feel the way she did. And she's gone. I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye._

Runningnose felt a soothing tongue run over the fur on the back of his head. He relaxed against Nightpelt's comforting laps. It wasn't much but it let Runningnose be reminded of the tom's presence. That was more than enough. Just knowing her was there made Runningnose feel a lot less alone in the world he knew would echo with loneliness until the day he joined StarClan in Silverpelt. Nightpelt made it a bit more bearable but Runningnose could feel despair setting in.

"Do you think…" Runningnose started but his voice cracked and he let the silence set in again. He and Nightpelt were curled up in Runningnose's nest in the medicine den, the warrior insisting that Runningnose not be left alone tonight. Nightpelt rested his head against his shoulder and rubbed his head against his, quietly telling him to stop talking.

He knew it. Runningnose knew it. There was nothing to say. Silence was nice. StarClan knows they both needed it.

The pad of pawsteps sounded from outside. Runningnose and Nightpelt looked up to see Yellowfang standing in the medicine den entrance. Grief clouded her eyes. Runningnose knew he didn't have to ask but he couldn't leave everything unsaid.

"Did she…?" Runningnose trailed off, once again losing his words. Thankfully, Nightpelt was there to catch them.

"Did she go peacefully?" Nightpelt asked. Yellowfang looked away, not saying anything. Runningnose felt Nightpelt tremble beside him. He could only imagine the pain the other tom was feeling. He doubted it could compare to the pain he felt though. His heart ached in a way he never thought hearts could. _Hopeheart…_

Runningnose wanted to wail like a kit. He wanted to yowl into the night until he couldn't yowl any more and then keep yowling. He wanted to grief like a kitless mother or be anger than a fire or feel anything other than this overwhelming, inexplicable emotion that seized everything in him down to the tips of the individual hairs on his pelt. It _hurt_ in a way he never thought it could. The concoction of emotions... It was _pain_. Pain on a level he never knew existed. It felt like his heart was going to fall out of his chest and die while he watched it throb on the sandy floor, struggling to stay alive until it just gave out. It hurt in a way that herbs couldn't heal. Only a few moments had passed but already he didn't know if he could take it.

"Are you two going to be okay?" Yellowfang asked softly. She padded over and settled next to them, pressing her own flank against theirs. Runningnose felt very secure with the two cats on either side of him but it wasn't enough to close wound in his heart.

"No," Runningnose said truthfully after a brief pause. _I'll never be able to move on._"But I'll survive."

Nightpelt started lapping his shoulder. "I still think of Wishvine every day. I still carry her loss in my bones. It weighs me down but I keep my chin up and I keep walking forward. Now that they're both gone… It'll take some time but I think I'll survive too."

Yellowfang rested her head on the top of Runningnose's. "I never had the chance to tell them that I loved them or that I was sorry for abandoning them."

"Me neither," Runningnose whispered. He closed his eyes and let his body go limp. "I never got to say goodbye or let either of them know how much they meant to me or anything. I thought Hopeheart had more time."

"We can never prepare ourselves for loss and we can never truly get over it," Nightpelt said quietly. "But we still have each other and Hopeheart and Wishvine's memory. That's what matters. I will hold onto them forever."

"Me too."

"I as well. We will never forget."

A yowl sounded from outside. Runningnose didn't want to get up but he knew that he would end up out there if he took himself or not. With heavy hearts, Nightpelt, Yellowfang, and Runningnose peeled themselves apart, picked themselves up, and padded outside.

"All cats meet at the clan rock!"

ShadowClan's new leader was standing on the clan rock, orange gaze sweeping over the clan. Runningnose, Yellowfang, and Nightpelt found Stumpypaw sat down beside him to see what he had to say.

"I have received my nine lives and name from StarClan," he announced. "It's time let all the clans know that ShadowClan is the greatest among them."

"ShadowClan! ShadowClan! ShadowClan!"

Runningnose's breath hitched but he didn't have the time to contemplate why. After a few heartbeats, the clan broke into a new cry.

"Brokenstar! Brokenstar! Brokenstar!"

Brokenstar lashed his tail for silence, cutting down the noise almost instantly. "I thank all my clanmates for their support. Now, WindClan's crimes have gone on too long. They took my father's life and they will pay with theirs. Who's with me?"

The clan exploded into bloodthirsty yowls. Runningnose ducked his head and flattened his ears, unable to face his leader or listen to his clanmates. _Brokentail's reign has begun._

* * *

**Final Note:** ... And we're done!

I got this idea while scrolling through some Warriors stories. I wasn't looking for anything, I was just seeing what the rest of the community was up to. I actually came up with the idea of Brokenstar's broken spirit by misreading the description of another story. Unfortunately, I do not remember what story it was but I do know that it had nothing to do with Brokenstar or his sisters so I didn't steal it or anything. I'm not totally sure how I came up with it.

I've been wanting to write a story with a more serious theme for about a year. I played around with some ideas but none of them stuck until this one. I especially wanted to write something involving identity so a divided spirit was the perfect way to do that. I didn't intend for there to be so much violence, death, or angst but I think this story turned out as I planned it. I knew from the start that this would take place within cannon, meaning that both Hopeheart and Wishvine would be dead before Brokentail's reign began.

This story continues as it does in the books. I'm considering writing a companion story to this one detailing the Dark Forests' role and following up but no promises. Broken Nature is more of a complementary story than an AU. It's something different than what most Warriors stories do but I'm glad I brought something new to this fandom and I hope you all enjoyed.

If you liked this story, I don't have many others like it at the moment but a new story is going up the day this last chapter was posted. I encourage you to check it out. It's called Falling Feathers and it focuses on Jayfeather and Crowfeather's relationship.

Update 4/22/20: This story now has a fan written sequel called Shadowed Night by SavvySpirit. Go check it out!


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